Proactive policing leads to burglar caught in 72 hours

Devon & Cornwall Police officers in Torquay recently apprehended a burglar just three days after the crime had been reported, arresting the suspect whilst the victim had been walking past officers. 

A few days earlier, police received reports of a house being broken into. It was reported that nearly £600 worth of items being stolen, including a VR headset and headphones.

Police Sergeant Matt Gill, who heads up the Neighbourhood Support team of officers responsible for locating the man, said: “This is a really positive result; we’ve been able to take an offender off the streets who has caused harm within our community.

“It was down to a thorough investigation and proactive policing in the town centre that we were able to identify this man and later locate him while out on one of our regular foot patrols through the town. It was a coincidence that as we were arresting the man, the victim of the burglary happened to walk past, witnessing the results of our proactive work first hand.”

The suspect was arrested and charged. After further investigation, it was later found that the same individual was wanted for recall to prison outside of the county. He is currently remanded and awaiting sentencing. 

Chief Inspector Miranda Pusey said: “This case just shows how we are truly listening to our communities and taking proactive action to investigate and pursue offenders committing crime in our towns. We want the public to know that when they report a crime, we take it seriously. Our officers are dedicated to making sure that Torquay remains a safe place for all to visit, work and live.”

Police would like to encourage the public to continue reporting information, suspicious behaviour and crime. Report online on the Devon & Cornwall Police website or by calling 101.  If a crime is taking place, call 999. You can also report information anonymously to Crimestoppers UK on 0800 555111.

If you have been affected by crime, please visit victimcare-dc.org to access support services and information on your rights and how to navigate the criminal justice system. You can also call Victim Support on 08 08 16 89 111 or Devon and Cornwall Police’s Victim Care Unit on 01392 475900.

Photo: Neighbourhood support team on patrol in Torquay, courtesy of Devon & Cornwall Police.