A prolific shoplifter was detained by My Local Bobby officers yesterday afternoon (7 September), later to be arrested by the police for theft and assault.
Officers Cem and Abdul were called by Holland and Barrett to a male suspect who had just stolen over £600 worth of goods while they were patrolling their beat in Acton.
According to reports, he had previously targeted the same shop over recent days.
My Local Bobby officers detained the suspect as he was walking away, however the suspect immediately became violent and assaulted both officers. After he was taken into a secure area, he attacked the officers with a bottle he had picked up, violently striking officer Cem on the face.
They then managed to secure him and placed him in handcuffs while calling the police. Police arrived and the male suspect was arrested for theft and assault after over £600 worth of stolen goods were found down his trousers.
Former Met Police Detective Chief Inspector and My Local Bobby’s CEO David McKelvey said, “The Bobbies are working at the ‘coal face’ of retail crime and tackling offenders on a daily basis.
“Most show no aggression but occasionally they become violent.
“This man has been arrested and we will pursue the police to prosecute for the assault on our staff. If police will not prosecute then we will do so ourselves.
“Anyone who assaults one of our team can expect to be prosecuted in a court of law.”
About My Local Bobby
My Local Bobby is the first ‘private police force’ in the country, patrolling the streets and offering a high visibility deterrent with body cameras to record incidents and offences.
The aim for establishing the company, co-founder David McKelvey states, is “providing a real solution to the current policing crisis, supporting law enforcement to ‘prevent and deter’ offending and to ‘catch and convict’ offenders where the authorities are not able or unwilling.”
Founded in 2016 when police resources and budgets were starting to get stretched, My Local Bobby reflects the soul of its founders who, although retired from the police force, still love the ‘job’.
(Source: My Local Bobby)
