Suspect halted in his tracks by off-duty officer

AN OFF-DUTY officer helped police catch a wanted man after spotting him on the way home from her shift.

Community support officer (CSO) Natalie Gibson had just finished work and left Millbank Police Station in South Shields when she spotted a man in a vehicle near the Nook area.

After thinking the occupant looked similar to a man who was wanted and had been evading police for two weeks, CSO Gibson quickly put in a call to officers who were on shift.

From there, with her colleagues on hands-free, CSO Gibson followed the vehicle in question and guided officers to the suspect’s location.

Police arrested the 28-year-old and identified him as a suspect that had been wanted in connection with an assault in South Shields last month.

The man has since been charged with assault and is due to appear at Newcastle Crown Court later this year.

Chief Insp Nicola Wearing praised CSO Gibson, saying: “It would have been very easy for Natalie to ignore her instinct and not act on what she saw. However, by picking up the phone and alerting her colleagues, she allowed police to locate a wanted man who had evaded the force for more than two weeks.

“Had Natalie not shown such incredible professionalism and determination to do the right thing, the suspect may have been successful in remaining under the radar.

“It fills me with pride to know that we have officers such as CSO Gibson who are willing to work tirelessly – even when not on shift – to identify offenders and ensure South Tyneside remains safe.”