Avon & Somerset: Fastest arrest in the West

September 25, 2012, 3:18 pm

On Friday (21 September) officers from Bristol Police’s elite arrest team (the DFT) caught up with a suspected thief just fifteen minutes after he was identified using DNA technology.

Inspector Steve Appleton who heads the District Focus Team said: “This has got to be the fastest arrest in the West! No sooner had we been notified that this man was wanted then my team had tracked him down and arrested him!”

The 37-year-old man was suspected of having broken into a car in a city centre car park and taking the owners possessions.

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As soon as the crime was reported police Crime Scene Investigators (CSIs) were sent to the scene to search for clues that could identify the thief. The CSIs found DNA on the car and ran a search which identified the sample as belomging to a known criminal who targets vehicles in the city centre car parks.

Inspector Appleton continued: “This is a great example of teams within the police working together really effectively to quickly identify and arrest criminals.”

“Often people who carry out crimes such as this are drug addicts stealing to fund a habit and it’s important for us to work as quickly as possible to stop them. When addicts are at the height of their addiction they need hundreds of pounds a day and without swift intervention from the police that means a lot more victims.”

The officers were working as part of Operation Relentless targeting the city’s most prolific thieves.

To find out more about Operation Relentless visit our website www.avonandsomerset.police.uk

Call the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org We never ask for your name or trace your call.

Find out more about how we are keeping you safe by visiting our Operation Relentless section and report intelligence, in confidence, through our online form.