An Echonetdaily reader has written in to commend the brilliant work of a female police officer who ‘spectacularly apprehended’ a ‘professional’ alleged thief in Byron Bay on Monday.
Echonetdaily understands there had been up to 50 break-ins in the area in the month before the alleged thief was literally run to ground by the officer who ‘pursued him in broad daylight over three boundary fences to tackle him in Kingsley Lane Byron Bay around 12.20pm.’
The spate of break-ins began early last month in the areas of Walker Street, Shelley Drive, and Pacific Vista Drive, Byron Bay.
Towards the end of October they moved on to Cowper St, Cowper Lane, Kingsley St, Kingsley Lane and surrounds.
‘My friend lives in Cowper St and they have state of the art security cameras that picked up a very cool and “professional” thief with a balaclava and grey gloves and torch in action from 3:15am to 4:30am on Tuesday, October 25,’ wrote Byron Bay resident Aza Saint.
‘He was aware of the security cameras and didn’t show any concern,’ she said.
‘Even when sensor lights went on he continued methodically trying every door/window numerous times. He stole my friends’ car keys with house keys attached, just before he left their place.
‘He wasn’t able to take her car as her partner was parked behind. They had to get all the house locks changed the next day.’
Ms Saint said that on Monday (October 31) her friend asked her to drive to Ballina to get new coded keys to secure her car and to call her when they were ready so she could pay over the phone.
‘At 12:10pm I tried phoning her but she didn’t answer. I thought “this odd as she said she’d be waiting for my call”.’
Later Ms Saint’s friend told her that at the time she had ‘heard all this commotion and saw police running through her property’.
She went outside and saw at least five police cars driving past and lots of police running.
‘A woman police officer raced down the side of her place and jumped her fence, ran over the next yard and jumped that fence.’
‘With police cars at either end of Kingsley Lane, the female officer ran the guy down, tackled him and he was arrested.
‘Apparently there were about 20 residents by this stage who’d been watching all this unfold. My friend went to the female officer and said, “You go girl. I am so proud of you! That was awesome!”’
Ms Saint described the event as ‘a great outcome after a very stressful month of break-ins and loss of property. ‘
‘The police did an amazing job and should be acknowledged for their efforts.’
