Northumbria Police drone helps find suspect in bin

Officers were contacted by a member of the public on John Reid Road in South Shields[1], who reported seeing a driver leave his car and allegedly attempt to assault the occupant of another vehicle. The victim was able to swerve the attack, and the offender fled the scene shortly after the incident at 9am on Monday (December 11). An investigation was launched in the wake of the report, and efforts to trace the driver led officers to an address in Marsden.

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: "The man attempted to run away, but officers established a perimeter before deploying a drone which scanned the area using a thermal camera. "The 19-year-old was quickly found to be hiding in a wheelie bin. He was arrested and has since been released on bail."

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Chief Inspector Mick Hall, of Northumbria Police, said: "This is just the latest example of how our force is using the newest technology to locate and arrest suspects. "Our eyes in the sky are already making a real difference in a number of our policing operations, and I am pleased to see the co-operation of our quick-thinking officers has led to another arrest." If you see anything suspicious in your community, always report it by using the report tool on our website or by calling 101.

In an emergency, or if a crime is taking place, always ring 999.

References

  1. ^ South Shields (www.thenorthernecho.co.uk)
  2. ^ Click here (www.thenorthernecho.co.uk)