Officers praised for capturing joyrider (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Officers praised for capturing joyrider

PC Gavin Brewster and PC Richard Monk, foreground Picture Ref: 99151-63A JOYRIDER who hijacked a recovery truck sent to help him was caught by police officers who boxed him in on the motorway.

PC Gavin Brewster, PC Matthew Daynes and PC Richard Monk all received certificates of merit for the part they played in stopping the truck.

They were praised for their professionalism and the way they managed to box the driver in.

PC Brewster, 31, who has been a policeman for nine years, explained what happened.

"The driver had turned on the driver of the recovery truck and stole the truck," he said. "It was fitted with a tracker device and the helicopter located it. We went in and blocked it in on the motorway.

"The idea is to get the subject vehicle into the hard shoulder side with one car in front, one behind and one next to it, so he has nowhere to go, then gradually slow down."

Leon Shaw, 24, of Newport, had been driving a stolen car when he broke down near junction 15.

He attacked and threatened to kill the driver of the recovery truck.

He was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison in February this year.

'It's all about teamwork'

OFFICERS involved in catching the gang who stole more than £16,000 from the Abbey Stadium in Blunsdon also won praise.

The five robbers from London, who were armed with a lock knife and knuckle-duster, tied up staff when they raided the greyhound track.

But the staff managed to free themselves and raise the alarm. Police spotted the getaway car and followed it on to the M4 where they to stopped it and arrested the gang. PC James Trafford was given a certificate of merit for his role while PC Rob Hodges, PC Martin Miles, PC Stewart Poulton and crime scene investigator Phil Webster were given letters of acknowledgement.

Chief Supt Andy Tatam said: "The work at Blunsdon was one of many incidents where we have achieved a really good result," he said.

"The awards have been for people who provided an exceptional quality of investigation, showing good team skills, which have led to the capture of serious criminals." The robbers were jailed for a total of 31 years.