A would-be thief ended up behind bars yesterday after he snatched a gold band from the hand of rural constable and did not count on the chase that ensued.
Godfrey Thomas, who is attached to the Kitty Crime Prevention Group as a part-time rank, credited the training he has received as playing a major role in him giving chase to the thief, who snatched the $220,000 cricket band as he was making a purchase on Regent Street.
Thomas told Stabroek News that the theft occurred just around 11 am as he and his nephew were interacting with a pavement vendor along Regent Street.
“I was standing there while my nephew was buying some shoe polish—since he will be going into the army on Monday. I placed my hand on a small fence separating the street from a trench and then I felt someone snatch the band off my hand,” Thomas related. He turned and saw the thief running away and gave chase.
With Thomas in close pursuit, the thief armed himself with a broken bottle. “He told me if I want my band I must come for it,” Thomas said, adding that he in turn picked up a piece of wood from the roadway and continued his pursuit.
The thief ran for approximately five minutes without Thomas giving up his chase.
It was while he was on Croal Street that he spotted a traffic rank on the road. “I shouted that ‘look that man just rob me’ but he was unaware of what was happening,” Thomas said.
However, an armed plain clothes rank was in the vicinity and he rendered assistance by pointing his gun to the thief, who then halted, while alerted public-spirited citizens threw the man to the ground. “He threw the band to my face and tell me look my band,” Thomas said.
The man was arrested and taken to the Brickdam Police Station, where he remains in custody.
A statement was taken from Thomas, who was informed that the thief is a known character to the police as he was convicted before and was recently released from priosn having served a sentence for a robbery charge.
