A council CCTV operator has been commended for playing a vital role in a successful police operation.
Two suspects were arrested after a quick-thinking police officer helped to bring a dramatic police chase to a safe conclusion.
Police were called to the Portland Retail Park, Mansfield, shortly after 1pm yesterday afternoon (Thursday 3 December) after a large amount of clothing was stolen.
A car then fled form the scene at high speed, narrowly missing a member of the public who tried to stop it.
The car was then tracked on CCTV making its way to through town towards Chesterfield Road South. Hearing the incident unfolding on his radio a nearby PCSO stopped traffic to slow the vehicle’s escape and allow additional officers time to catch up – narrowly avoiding being hit himself as the car attempted to escape the jam.
After a brief pursuit the car pulled into a nearby car park and its occupants were detained.
PCSO Stephen Shaw said: "It was quite a swift and unexpected turn of events to say the least.
"We were in Mansfield Town Centre with something completely unrelated and we were asked to direct traffic.
"I heard over the radio there was an incident close by and that someone had gotten away in a car.
"I was at the bottom of Chesterfield Road and it just so happened that the car in question was second in the queue as I was stopping them, so everything happened quite quickly.
"I was in the middle of the road directing and I saw it begin to maneuver. My instinct was reinforcing the traffic direction and trying to stop the car.
"I definitely thought that people, including myself, were going to be injured.
"The result shows the great team effort and the importance of coordination from everyone involved, with police control monitoring the situation throughout and also with council wardens and other members of the public who helped out. It definitely gives a sense of reassurance and achievement for all of us."
Two men, both aged 60, were arrested on suspicion of offences including theft, dangerous driving, failing to stop, driving without insurance or a licence.
They both remain in police custody.
Inspector Nick Butler, district commander for Mansfield, said: “This was a great bit of police work by everyone involved – from the CCTV operator who remained so calm under pressure to the quick-thinking PCSO who did everything he could on foot to slow the getaway vehicle. He in particular should feel a huge amount deal of pride about what happened here. It is also a timely reminder about the danger my officers face every day as they work to keep the public safe.”
Mariam Amos, Strategic Director at Mansfield District Council said: “We’d like to commend everyone involved, particularly our CCTV operator who was able to keep cameras on the vehicle throughout the incident. This was no mean feat given the speed at which it was travelling.
“Our state-of-the-art CCTV control room enables our highly-trained operators to livestream footage to the Police control room and speak directly to police officers on the ground.
“We are proud to have played a part in bringing this incident to a safe and successful conclusion."
This has been published on behalf of our partners Nottinghamshire Police.