A police team effort led to the swift arrests of a suspected shop thief and a wanted suspect.
Police community support officers Keith Crowhurst and Allan Cooke, both part of the Gedling South Neighbourhood Policing Team, were on duty when they became aware of a suspect being detained by security staff for theft of items from the TK Maxx store at the Victoria Retail Park in Netherfield.
The PCSOs helped detain the suspect until response colleague PC James Gill arrived to arrest him.
While they were dealing with this incident, another man was spotted cycling away from the retail park who was identified as being wanted for failing to appear in court in relation to a drug driving offence.
The man was quickly stopped and detained by a Gedling Operation Reacher team officer who additionally arrested him on suspicion of possession of cannabis.
Police were in the right place at the right time to make the arrests, on Thursday 13 April 2023, and it was another example of the force’s determination to work closely with local businesses to crack down on shop theft and prevent crime.
Gedling neighbourhood policing inspector Mark Stanley said:
“Our priority is protecting people and property and we are totally determined to keep doing everything we can to keep our local communities safe, including working closely with our partners to address concerns and find solutions to problems.
“That close partnership work is ongoing, and I’d like to reassure people we will continue to do everything we can to tackle issues in our neighbourhoods based on the priorities people have told us they want us to focus on.”
The suspect arrested over the TK Maxx incident was subsequently charged with four counts of shop theft and a further charge of going equipped for theft.
Albert Marin, aged 45, of no fixed address, appeared at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court on Saturday (15 April 2023).
He was granted conditional bail, including a condition not to enter any TK Maxx store, and is next due to appear at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on 12 May 2023.
The man arrested for failing to attend court, 53-year-old Paul Asbury, of no fixed address, appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Friday (14 April).
He was given a 12-month driving ban, and ordered to pay a £120 fine, £85 court costs and a £48 victim surcharge.
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