Truck rescued after speedy police action

Steve Hobbs, of SLM Rescue Services, was delivering a new car to Regis Car Sales in High Street on Wednesday, June 22. But when he and his brother Jack went inside, a thief struck.

Steve told the News/Gazette: “Some pond life jumped into the lorry when we were standing in the showroom and drove off in it. Had it not been for a passing police officer, who was very good and went haring after the truck, it would’ve gone. We had it back in 10 minutes.”

The culprit abandoned the truck and ran off with a satellite navigation system and Jack’s wallet. But Steve was thrilled that the officer, PC Ian Dedman managed to return the truck undamaged.

He said: “You’ve got no idea how I felt when they said they’d found it. It was an overwhelming sense of relief. It would have finished the business off because to replace it with something of the same standard would cost a lot of money.”

Steve heaped praise on PC Dedman’s swift reaction. “I think he deserves some serious recognition,” he said. “I think they did a fantastic job and recovering that vehicle has saved me and the business a hell of a lot of grief.”

PC Dedman said: “It’s very nice that he thinks that we’ve done a good job for him. We got there very quickly and I think that’s why the vehicle was found quick because he knew he wouldn’t get away very quickly in a tow truck.”