Northumbria Police have praised community support officers (CSOs) in Jesmond for catching a suspected thief last week.

Two CSOs were patrolling Jesmond last Wednesday (5th February), following reports that someone was trying to open car doors. 

The officers approached a teenager who was acting suspiciously and matched the description of the suspect, but he fled on foot. When the CSOs caught up with the young man, they found he was carrying a bag containing a laptop, bottles of alcohol, perfume and a drill charger – all thought to be stolen goods. 

Additional police officers arrived, arresting the 16-year-old who was taken into custody. 

“The hard work of our CSOs has led to the arrest of a suspected thief and allowed us to return stolen property to the owners,” said Neighbourhood Sergeant Craig Brown. “I hope this reassures the community that we will continue to work hard to keep them safe and maintain a visible presence on their streets.”

The 16-year-old has been released on bail after being charged with receiving stolen goods, and is due to appear before North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court next week (February 19th). 

If you notice anyone acting suspiciously, you can contact police on 101 or online at the Northumbria Police website.

If you want to report information anonymously, you can call independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.