A police officer who borrowed a passing cyclist’s bike to chase after and arrest a suspect linked to the theft of £90,000 worth of jewellery has received a Police Officer of the Year award.
PC Paddy Connell brought the suspect to justice in January, leading a car pursuit before continuing the chase on foot and hopping on a passer-by’s bicycle to catch up with and arrest the suspect.
He has been awarded South Yorkshire Police’s Officer of the Year award in recognition of his “passion, dedication and unwavering commitment”.
The police officer with 23 years’ experience engaged the driver of a stolen Range Rover in a “strange pursuit”, much of which saw the suspect reversing away from the cop. When the suspect fled on foot, PC Connell followed and eventually came across a passing cyclist who told him where the criminal had gone, handing over his bike and shouting “Go get ’em!”
After a clunky gear change and a shaky start thudding off the kerb, PC Connell put down the power and caught up with the suspect as he dipped into a garden alleyway, ignoring the officer’s shouts to stay where he was.
Having hopped another fence the suspect was then arrested in a neighbouring back garden, the footage of the chase going viral online and featuring on Crimewatch and Gogglebox. The man was arrested in relation to the stolen Range Rover as well as over links to the theft of £90,000 worth of jewellery stolen during a robbery.
PC Connell gratefully returned the bike to its owner afterwards and the cyclist was later tracked down and asked if he wanted to come into South Yorkshire Police’s Operational Support Complex to meet Paddy and receive a commendation, however the man never made contact again.
In a second incident, PC Connell helped catch “South Yorkshire’s most wanted burglar” who the force says was “plaguing our county and beyond”. There was no bike involvement in that one however, the roads policing officer part of the team that made tactical contact after a 30-minute car pursuit and detained two suspects.
Chief Inspector of Roads Policing Peter Spratt said: “In the Roads Policing Group, we are immensely proud of PC Connell, and the recognition he has received.
“He is an integral member of the team and has had so many excellent results with colleagues, bringing offenders to justice and making South Yorkshire safer as a result.
“Our officers regularly put themselves at risk to protect the public, managing these incidents to a safe conclusion through tactics that require dynamic teamwork and skilful implementation of their training. Well done PC Connell, you are a credit to the department.”
PC Connell isn’t the first police officer to take to two wheels in pursuit of a suspect. A couple of years ago, Northamptonshire Police praised the “quick-thinking” and “good old fashioned policing” of one of the force’s officers after a cycling copper, who borrowed a bicycle from a bystander, set off after a drug dealer on two wheels, before ramming them to the ground, arresting the suspect and ultimately helping to see them jailed.
5 thoughts on “Cop who borrowed passing cyclist’s bike to catch thief wins Police Officer of the Year award”
The new Ironman Police format
The new Ironman Police format:
Transitions zones will be known as D Camp.
I presume the cover will be
I presume the cover will be taken off the hot tub for the steeplechase?
That’s just the start – there
That’s just the start – there are other formats in the policing cycling discipline including *:
* Except in Scotland, Lancashire, …
bonus points awarded in post
bonus points awarded in post-race interviews if the competitor can successfully apply the following techniques while discussing their event;
Pity the Police don’t use
Pity the Police don’t use them more in urban areas. They’re excellent for catching toe rags who run for it. They offer mobility and visibility. You see more on a bike than you do in a car and you’re more approachable.