Bishop's Stortford mum helps Metropolitan police catch a suspected burglar

An eagle-eyed mother, who stopped two thieves from stealing her child’s bicycle, helped the Metropolitan police to catch a wanted man.

The woman was at home in Hadham Road last Friday morning (Oct 25) when she spotted two men try to take the bike, worth £160, from her garden.

She challenged the pair, who returned the bike and walked off with a shopping trolley. She followed them and called police.

Plain-clothed officers detained the duo and in the trolley found seven bottles of whiskey, worth £245, which had been stolen from Tesco at Bishop’s Park earlier that morning.

Staff at the Lancaster Way supermarket told police the pair had initially tried to steal bottles of spirits but were thwarted when they were challenged at the exit. Unperturbed, they returned a short while later and took bottles of Gentleman's Jack Daniel's.

A 43-year-old man from London was arrested and bailed. Officers discovered that his 41-year-old accomplice was wanted by the Met on suspicion of burglary. He was transferred to the capital for further questioning.