PC Alastair Catherwood - DIVISIONAL COMMENDATION

A joint police and CCTV ‘team’ worked closely together to catch two men later each jailed for seven years for distracting and burgling the home of a 91-years-old Broadway woman.

The resourceful quartet has now been given Divisional Commendations by Ch. Supt. Jane Horwood, head of policing in South Worcestershire.

The incident began when one of the men distracted his victim in her back garden, saying he was working nearby. Shortly afterwards she saw a second man coming out of her bedroom and the two strangers immediately left, but not before a neighbour saw them with a small, white van.

PCs Howard Latham and Alastair Catherwood intended to stop similar vehicles. A short time later - some three miles away in Wickhamford - they stopped a white van driving towards them, but as PC Latham approached on foot it was suddenly driven off, colliding with the police car.

During a 15-mile pursuit, also involving a second police vehicle driven by Det. Con. Richard Vernon, there were two more collisions. The van continued to be driven so dangerously, however, that pursuit was called off.

Mr Richard Beard, a CCTV operator based in Stratford-upon-Avon, saw a white van driven into a parking area in High Street, Studley and almost immediately two men running away, discarding their upper clothing nearby. The men were arrested shortly afterwards and the clothing located, both as a direct result of Mr Beard's quick thinking.

Det. Con. Vernon was commended for his tenacity, detective ability and communication skills, Mr Beard for his quick thinking, perseverance and evidence gathering - the information he provided being instrumental in enabling officers to locate and arrest the offenders – and PCs Latham and Catherwood for their tenacity and resourcefulness in following and arresting the two offenders.