An off-duty policeman was bitten on his face and hit by a shoplifter he was chasing from Sainsbury’s in Quantock Rise last night (April 23)/
The detective inspector had been shopping at 8.21pm when he saw a man being chased by security staff from the store, so he joined in the chase.
Once caught, the offender attacked the officer, hitting him in the face and biting him several times on the face as the detective arrested him.
Anthony Sanson, 23, of Celandine Drive, witnessed the incident and said: “It happened right outside my house. I heard shouting and screaming and arguments and went to look and all the Sainsbury’s staff were outside. There were champagne bottles being thrown at my windows and smashing, and the shoplifter and policeman were in my front garden. I saw the policeman being bitten on the face as he was trying to arrest the man and I helped him hold him down. I wasn’t really frightened because I get that sort of thing happening all the time in my area.”
The detective was taken to hospital for treatment to his injuries and the man, aged 35, was arrested on suspicion of assault and theft.
He is being questioned at Luton Police Station today.
If you witnessed the incident, please call Det Con Gill Cowley on 01582 394285 or Beds Police on 101.