March 08, 2010
Men Arrested In Metal Thefts
A large amount of stolen cabling has been recovered from Colmworth this morning (Friday March 5) after an alert member of the public heard the thieves cutting it up to take it away.
In an excellent example of team work and cross-border co-operation, officers from Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire used dog, traffic, firearms and patrol units to locate the suspects and retrieve the stolen goods.
A local resident was walking his dog when he heard what sounded like an angle grinder coming from Little Stoughton Road, Colmworth just after midnight.
Police officers were quickly on scene and found lengths of cable in the middle of road, which had come from a nearby BT installation.
Two vehicles made off as the first officers arrived, and the first one, a medium sized van, got stuck in a field and the two men inside ran away. However, they were soon located with the use of a police dog who tracked them to their hiding place. Inside the van, officers found a large amount of cabling and metal.
Meanwhile, police helicopters belonging to both Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire were able to track the second vehicle, a four wheel drive, across the north of the county as it travelled at high speed, crossing the A1 at Sandy and eventually stopping at just outside Potton. The two men inside this vehicle were arrested almost immediately by the officers from the Roads Policing Unit who were following it closely.
All four men are currently being questioned by police and both vehicles have been recovered for forensic examination.
While arrests have been made, officers are still keen to hear from anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the area of Colmworth or Little Staughton last night. Anyone who can help should contact Investigating Officer Vicki Rowland on 01234 275114 or anonymously on Crimestoppers 0800 555111.
