Volunteer Constable Honored for Thwarting Shoplifters by Disabling Their Vehicle

A woman who oversees volunteer special constables in Staffordshire has received a national accolade for confronting a group of shoplifters near her residence. Sue Bohanan obstructed the men’s departure from her local Co-op in Gnosall, then pursued them before ultimately deflating their vehicle’s tires while awaiting police reinforcement. She was presented with a medal at the National Police Chiefs Council’s annual Police Public Bravery Awards on Thursday. Ms. Bohanan stated: “I was really angry, because I thought ‘How dare you do that to a shop in the local community?'” The coordinator with the county’s special constabulary was entering the store on 6 December last year when she observed three men exit a car and begin emptying bottles from the shelves. She initially blocked the entrance and challenged them, but they managed to leave the store and cross the road, with Ms. Bohanan following. They did not have time to get into the car, so they proceeded into some nearby fields. She then contacted 999 and deflated the tires on the car the men had arrived in, further diminishing their prospects of escape. More officers subsequently arrived and apprehended one of the men, who was later charged and fined in court. Staffordshire Chief Constable Chris Noble remarked: “It makes me really proud that Sue’s brave actions have received national recognition.“It takes bravery, as well as instinctive reaction, to do what Sue did. She is someone who is invested in day-to-day policing, is clearly very committed to her local community and has a real sense of justice at her core as well.” Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.