Theft pair spotted

Press, 20 January 1984, Page 4

Theft pair spotted

NZPA-AAP London A policeman sent a postcard from Spain to set up the arrest of a pair of holidaying shoplifters he recognised on his flight, the “Daily Express” reported yesterday.

Constable Mcßride from Northumbria had seen their faces 12 days before on a video which showed them shoplifting from a store in South Shields, Tyne and Wear.

He sent a holiday postcard from Benidorm back to bis police headquarters saying, “Having a good time. There are shoplifters in Spain too. Meet my flight at Newcastle Airport —

there are a couple of thieves on it.”

He followed up with a telephone call to his superiors and when the husband-and-wife “team” flew back to Newcastle, they were met by the police. Thomas Greenhow, aged 29, unemployed, and Christine Greenhow, aged 27, also unemployed, pleaded guilty to theft when they appeared at Teesside Crown Court.

The prosecutor,. Mr Patrick Cosgrove, said that the Greenhows had escaped from the store without being detected, but their theft was captured on videotape by a security camera. Among the policemen shown the film was

Constable Mcßride.

His good memory earned him praise from Judge Harold Hewitt for “showing a degree of alertness at a time when his mind might have been on more pleasurable things.”

The Court heard it was the second time Thomas Greenhow had been caught for a shoplifting offence by an off-duty policeman. Sentence was adjourned for reports. After the hearing, Constable Mcßride said, “I spotted the couple on the plane to Benidorm two seats in front of me. I did not say anything at the time because they were out of British jurisdiction.”