A brave passerby helped detain the thief (6 photos + 1 video)
Category: Interesting photo stories, PEGI 0+
17 June 2024
A video recorded by an Essex police officer (UK) in March of this year has appeared on the Internet. The constable was trying to apprehend a fleeing thief who had just broken out of a jewelry store. But it was not easy to deal with the criminal alone... 
Luckily, a caring passer-by came to the constable’s rescue!
The incident occurred on March 7. James Happer, 51, escaped from the Finery and Co jewelery store in Saffron Walden, Essex, with £30,970 worth of gold and diamonds.
Constable Ryan McNamara, who was on patrol, heard shouts of "Stop!" and “Stop the thief!” as Happer was being chased by one of the store employees.
Footage released by Essex Police shows the moment an officer caught Happer and told him he was under arrest. Happer responded, “For what?” and tried to run away.
One of the passersby helped the officer detain the thief. Help was required because Happer resisted with all his might - he hit the policeman in the face, tried to use a gas canister against him... But the two men managed to tightly twist him and neutralize him.
“I want to thank the people who assisted me in apprehending Happer and helped ensure that the man responsible for the burglary was brought to justice,” the constable said. “One of the original principles of policing is that the police are the public and the public are the police, and that was the case that day...”
Happer pleaded guilty to burglary and assaulting a constable. The court sentenced him to 18 months' imprisonment, suspended for 18 months.
Happer will be required to attend drug rehabilitation for six months, conduct a rehabilitation activity for up to 25 days and attend 19 sessions of a mental skills program.
