Brave police officer foils robbery

POLICE SERGEANT Weeden’s courage has apprehended a street robbery suspect in Hackney.

Sergeant Weeden was patrolling along Stoke Newington High Street near the junction with Tyson Street, N16, just after 5.30pm on Wednesday, 11th January. She saw a man conducting a street robbery – threatening his victim with a knife.

As he ran off, Sergeant Weeden ran after him. As she caught up with him, the suspect tried to stab or slash her with his knife. She avoided the knife – using techniques learned during police safety training – but was punched on the arm. The suspect tried to resist arrest, but Sergeant Weeden subdued him and passers by helped her keep him under control.

Police found a mobile phone in the suspect’s possession, as well as the knife he had been seen using in the robbery and had tried to use on the police officer. He was arrested and taken in for questioning about the robbery and the violence he had shown.

Sergeant Weeded’s arm was bruised, but she did not require medical attention. The robbery victim did not suffer physical injury in the robbery, but suffered from shock afterwards.

Inspector Iain Williams of Hackney police praised Sergeant Weeden for her courage, as well as the passers by who helped her. He said, “This was a very courageous effort from Sergeant Weeden whose first instinct was to catch the suspect in this street robbery. I would also like to pay tribute to the passing members of the public who bravely came to assist the officer.”

•UPDATE: After further investigation, it later transpired that the police officer had in fact been stabbed in the arm, not punched. She was protected by her safety “MetVest” and only suffered bruising. Now that the full extent of the assault on her is known, police have issued a further appeal for witnesses.

[Adverts]