A wanted, knife‑carrying shoplifter has been returned to jail after an unexpected encounter with an off‑duty police officer.
Evan Pidgeon, aged 37, stole £150 worth of clothing from an outdoor shop on Castle Boulevard on 6 February this year.
Pidgeon was spotted and arrested in Beeston town centre on 9 March by PC Dean Bardill, who then took him straight to the police station.
A subsequent search uncovered a meat cleaver inside Pidgeon’s jacket, along with two screwdrivers and a lock knife.
Pidgeon, of Montpelier Road, Nottingham, appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on 10 March and pleaded guilty to theft and possessing a knife in a public place.
He was jailed for 31 weeks.
PC Samantha Gledhill, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“The officer in this case had just been to the gym and was walking through the town on his way to work.
“Without any of the usual safety equipment we carry while out on patrol, he immediately sprang into action and detained a wanted offender.
“This incident is yet another reminder that, as police officers, we are never truly off duty.”
