Forces Work Together to Address Rural Crime
As Warwickshire, West Mercia and Gloucestershire Police conduct evening searches for rural burglars, Gloucestershire Constabulary got a good result.
Following the incident detailed below a 17-year-old boy from Stratford-Upon-Avon and 29-year-old man from Worcester were arrested on suspicion of burglary. Both have since been released under police bail as further investigation and efforts to identify property owners take place.
Officers, dog handlers and the National Police Air Service (NPAS) helicopter worked to locate and arrest three men in the early hours of Friday (13/11) in connection with offences of burglary and endangering an aircraft.
At around 2.55am on Friday patrolling police officers saw a Vauxhall Corsa with two occupants driving in the village of Blockley near Moreton-in-Marsh.
Officers lost sight of the vehicle for a few minutes before then finding it unoccupied a short distance away in a flower border with the engine running and the keys in the ignition. In the rear of the vehicle were a number of power tools and items suspected to have been stolen.
A police dog handler attended the area and the police dog indicated it was following a strong track through some local gardens and fields.
With support from the Helicopter at around 3.30am officers on the ground were alerted to two people running across fields close to where the dog had been tracking.
Officers in the Helicopter followed the figures and officers on the ground were directed into a farm area where the two men were found.
During the search a laser was shone at the helicopter pilot and more officers were directed to a separate location where they arrested a third male on suspicion of endangering an aircraft.
Timothy Wilsdon, aged 61 and from Station Road, Morton-in-Marsh has been charged with directing a laser beam toward an aircraft and is due to attend Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court on 1st March 2021.
