Scrap metal thief suspect cornered by motor traders

Woman arrested after being caught with car batteries and alloy wheels

A THEFT suspect was detained in a citizen’s arrest style ambush by angry motor traders having been hunted down after a tip-off over goods being stolen from a garage.

Traders say a woman was caught with scrap metal car batteries and alloy wheels belonging to garages in Hayling Island on February 11.

After cornering the female she allegedly started lashing out before items were removed from her on Manor Road.

Having been left empty handed – with police having been called close to 1.30pm – the woman then vanished on the island before officers managed to track her down and arrest her on suspicion of theft and common assault later in the afternoon.

The woman was first spotted by quick-thinking Cameron Shopland, co-owner of Hayling Automotive, while he was driving to an MOT centre in Havant just before midday.

‘I saw car batteries and alloy wheels oozing out of the back of a Vauxhall Astra and thought “that’s not normal”,’ he said.

‘Stuff has gone missing from garages on the island. When items are taken for scrap they are normally transported in proper vans and I know all those who do it.

‘When I was at the MOT station in Havant I was talking about it to some of the guys there when one said: “That’s my stuff.”’

This sparked the garage owner and other members of Hayling’s automotive industry to swarm the island – where the car was last seen – before they finally tracked down the woman in West Lane.

The female was finally arrested around 3pm on Manor Road with her vehicle recovered.

A police spokesman said: ‘A woman was arrested on suspicion of theft and common assault.

‘She has been released from custody but remains under investigation. Enquiries are ongoing.’