Four Bridgnorth police officers were this week commended for arresting a violent burglar who had injured two of them.
The man, who was later given an 18-month prison sentence, was caught red-handed breaking into an office in the town’s Whitburn Street.
This week the four officers – Constables Steven Bloomer, Philip Nock, Benjamin Ward and Heidi Bate – were presented with divisional commendations for their “tenacity, teamwork and effective communication” during the operation in November.
Their supervising officer, Sergeant Keith Field, said the four officers were on night duty and were on the look out for a prolific burglar responsible for a series of offences in the area. The man had proved difficult to apprehend.
Just after 3am, a report was received of a burglary in Whitburn Street.
PC Ward, who was on duty alone in a police vehicle, went quickly to the scene followed by PC Bate and PCs Bloomer and Nock, who travelled from Shifnal.
PC Ward was on the scene in time to see the burglar flee from the property and secured the area in the hope that a dog handler was available.
Sergeant Field said: “When Constables Bloomer, Nock and Bate arrived, they confirmed a dog handler was not available and the officers decided to conduct a search.
“PC Nock located the offender in dense brambles and tried to apprehend him. The man used considerable violence against PC Nock to break cover and free himself from the officer’s grip by kicking him hard in the face.
“Undeterred, and managing to communicate his position in pitch darkness, PC Nock guided his colleagues to his assistance.
“The search continued through the brambles in a co-ordinated fashion and PC Bloomer located the man in deep undergrowth and violence was once again used against the officer.
“Despite suffering a shoulder injury in the melee, PC Bloomer kept hold and subdued the offender until his colleagues joined him to finally detain the man in handcuffs.”
The burglar later appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court and was given an 18-month jail sentence.