Despite being in the job only three weeks, PCSO Chris Tibbott leapt into action to help remand a suspected thief outside the Lidl store in Durham last night.
Leaving his girlfriend and his own weekly shop in the car, the 25-year-old quickly established what was going on when staff grappled with a suspect who had allegedly refused to give back two bottles of whiskey taken from the store before trying to assault staff with a crutch he was using for a broken leg.
“We were on our way home from doing our own shop and waiting at the lights when I looked over and saw a commotion,” PCSO Tibbott said. “At first I thought it was just kids play fighting but as soon as I realised it was a suspected theft, I pulled over and jumped out to see if I could help.
“The staff had managed to take the crutch off the man who had been using it to lash out at them and were rolling around on the floor so I managed to restrain him and also fend off a woman he was with who was screaming at us all too.
“Thankfully it wasn’t too long before colleagues from D Relief got to us and took over.”
Talking about the experience PCSO Tibbott, who works in the Bishop Auckland Neighbourhood Policing Team, added: “It was a bit of a baptism of fire and not exactly how I thought a trip to the shops would end but it was an automatic response and just something I knew I had to help with.”
Following the incident, a man in his 30s was arrested on suspicion of theft and affray and taken to Durham Custody where he remains today.
Bishop Auckland NPT Sergeant, Victoria Ord, praised the new recruit for his actions.
She said: “This is a great example of police instinct and great to see Chris put his to good use so early on in his career with us, assisting retail staff and colleagues in the Durham area who were on hand to arrest the suspect.”
