Knife-carrying shoplifter caught by off-duty police officer
37-year-old Evan Pidgeon jailed after surprise police encounter
Evan Pidgeon, aged 37, was apprehended by an off-duty police officer after stealing £150 worth of clothing from an outdoor shop on Castle Boulevard.
The arrest took place in Beeston town centre on 9th March after PC Dean Bardill spotted Pidgeon and took him directly to the police station.
During a search, PC Bardill found a meat cleaver inside Pidgeon's jacket, along with two screwdrivers and a lock knife.
Pidgeon, who lives on Montpelier Road in Nottingham, later appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on 10th March.
He pleaded guilty to theft and possessing a knife in a public place and was sentenced to 31 weeks in jail.
PC Samantha Gledhill of Nottinghamshire Police commended her colleague's swift action.
“The officer in this case had just been to the gym and was walking through the town on his way to work. Without any of the usual safety equipment we carry while out on patrol, he immediately sprang into action and detained a wanted offender.
"This incident is yet another reminder that, as police officers, we are never truly off duty,” PC Gledhill said.