Off-duty officers stop burglar in Old Street

Off-duty officers stop burglar in Old Street

Two off-duty officers detained a burglar moments after he broke into a shop in Old Street while travelling home from a night shift. A video of their efforts can be found here.

At around 06:30 on Sunday 13 September, the officers had just finished their shift in Camden and were heading home when they saw a man break into a shop on Old Street.

Recognising that a burglary was taking place, they immediately called 999 and kept the building under observation while awaiting support. The officers waited near the entrance to stop the suspect from leaving and to ensure a swift response.

Although off duty and without the protective equipment they would normally carry while on shift, the officers acted quickly to prevent the offender from escaping.

A short time later, the man, later identified as Michael Lawrence, exited the building carrying a crowbar. The officers detained him and recovered the crowbar, along with a bag containing additional tools.

Officers established that Michael had attempted to steal cash till from inside the premises before leaving empty-handed. 

PS Jake Clarkson said: “We were chatting about our weekend plans one minute, and seconds later we were back in work mode. When you see something like that unfolding, your training just kicks in – you don’t stop to think, you act. If it were your home or business, you’d want someone to step in and that’s exactly what we did. It was a brilliant case of being in the right place at the right time.”

PC Shafi Chowdhury added: “It was very satisfying to see the look on the man’s face as he was greeted by the two of us. It was also a great feeling to see him quickly charged and later plead guilty, knowing he had been held accountable. Policing is made that much easier when you have great colleagues around you and I know without a doubt that every person on our team would have done exactly the same.”

Their actions meant an offender was swiftly brought to justice, demonstrating the commitment officers show to protecting Londoners and local businesses, whether they are on duty or not.