Three arrests as police patrol spots suspect car thieves

A chance sighting led to police recovering a device used to break into vehicles – and arresting three suspects.

Response officers were driving through Strelley in the early hours of Monday (2 December) when they spotted two people dressed head to toe in black.

Suspecting they could be up to no good, the officers turned their car around. The duo noticed this move and fled on foot.

One of the suspects was stopped on Helston Drive moments later. Upon searching his pockets, officers found multiple car keys and quantities of cocaine.

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This happened around 2:15 am, with police conducting a search of the area and discovering a vehicle parked on an adjacent street that matched one of the seized keys.

The car’s lights were still on, and another man was sitting inside. Officers seized the vehicle and detained the suspect, believing he could be involved in criminal activity.

Meanwhile, a police dog and handler tracked down another suspect dressed in black, who was found in possession of a device commonly used to gain keyless access to vehicles.

Believing the trio – two men aged 34 and 44, and a 17-year-old boy – were working together to break into cars, all three were arrested on suspicion of conspiring to steal.

The 34-year-old suspect was also arrested for possessing Class A drugs.

Sergeant Ashley Butler, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“The officers involved in this triple arrest did a great job here in helping prevent what we suspect was a joint effort to break into vehicles in the area.

“By remaining as vigilant as they were while on patrol in the early hours of the morning, they were able to spot behaviour that aroused their suspicions and then act on it.

“As a direct result of this, we were able to seize a device commonly used by thieves to break into locked vehicles, while making three arrests in the process.

“This incident should serve as a good example of exactly why our officers go out into the community to conduct patrols, no matter the time of day or night.”

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