A retiring police sergeant has celebrated his final day of active duty with the arrests of two suspected catalytic convertor thieves in Dartford.
PS Gary Ward detained one of the men following a foot pursuit, after they had fled a car which was parked in Temple Hill.
Suspicious
The Mercedes B Class had initially been seen in suspicious circumstances at around 12.40pm on Wednesday 29 June 2022, during a proactive patrol by PS Ward and his colleague PC Tony Jacklin.
Checks revealed it was travelling on cloned number plates and when the officers approached the car the occupants ran from the scene.
Sgt Ward chased the driver and swiftly detained him, whilst PC Jacklin successfully apprehended the passenger.
Catalytic convertors
A search of the car led to the discovery of a number of stolen number plates, as well as tools suspected to be used for theft of catalytic convertors. Further checks revealed the Mercedes was also stolen.
The suspects, aged 28 and 38, were taken into custody and later bailed pending further enquiries, to return to a police station on 17 July.
Inspector Adam Duke said: ‘This was Sgt Ward’s final shift and he was determined to go out in the right way. The cost to victims and businesses of catalytic convertor thefts can be very high and PS Ward will have been delighted to make these important arrests, which I have no doubt were a satisfying way to see off his career.’