The Chronicle

Police car llegally parks as officers munch on lunch

- By Katie Dickinson katie.dickinson@trinitymir­ror.com @@KatieJDick­inson Reporter

HUNGRY police were caught on camera parking illegally as they nipped in to get their lunchtime Greggs.

The two officers were spotted as they parked in a box with zigzag yellow lines outside the shop on Saltmeadow­s Road in Gateshead.

Dressed in full uniform, one police officer was filmed walking from the store with a Greggs bag.

She then gets into an unmarked police car which had been left in a box marked with yellow lines, as a colleague waited in the vehicle.

The incident was captured on camera by motorist Mick Fidler, who spotted the pair at around 1.30pm on Wednesday.

Mick, 37, said: “I was on my way back to work and pulled up outside Greggs.

“I noticed one of our finest walking into the shop and as I was walking out I stopped and saw her car parked where it shouldn’t have been.

“I decided to film it because if I had parked there it would have been me getting a ticket.

“It didn’t seem like it was an emergency. The box is marked with yellow lines and she’s parked very clearly in it.

“There was another officer in the passenger seat and it was the driver who had gone in to get their pasties, or whatever it was.” Northumbri­a Police admitted the officers were in the wrong. A force spokespers­on said: “In some circumstan­ces officers in marked police vehicles have dispensati­on to park in restricted areas so they can respond to an emergency as quickly as possible. “The officers had stopped for refreshmen­ts but shortly after this incident they were involved in an excellent piece of police work that led to the arrest of a wanted male in Newcastle. “However, we have reviewed the footage and can confirm that on this occasion the police vehicle should not have parked in the area in question. “The officers involved will be given words of advice and we want to thank the member of the public who brought this footage to our attention. “We want the public to trust the police force as we pride ourselves on delivering an outstandin­g service to our local communitie­s.”

I decided to film it because if I had parked there it would have been me getting a ticket Mick Fidler

 ??  ?? The officer returns to the illegally parked unmarked car
The officer returns to the illegally parked unmarked car
 ??  ?? Greggs on Saltmeadow­s Road, Gateshead
Greggs on Saltmeadow­s Road, Gateshead

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