Brave 6-year-olds help police catch and jail Blackpool shoplifter banned from every Tesco and Asda
A shoplifter from Blackpool has been jailed after he was caught with the help of two eagle-eyed and brave six-year-old girls.
Police were hunting for a prolific shoplifter, wanted for 22 offences in October, after he was spotted in the resort on November 7.
Following a short foot chase, the man thought he had escaped officers by hiding between a bin shed and a bush in a nearby front garden.
But two six-year-old girls saw the man and, realising officers were looking for him, pointed him out, despite the thief trying to ‘shush’ them into silence.
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Alan Morris, 31, of no fixed address, was arrested and has since been handed a 9-month prison sentence and a three year Criminal Behaviour Order which bans him from entering any Asda and Tesco in Blackpool.
The girls were visited by officers in their school assembly, who awarded them a certificate and chocolates to thank the pair for their help in catching Morris.
Sergeant Paul Regan said: “We wouldn’t have been able to detain the offender anywhere near as quick as we did if it wasn’t for the help of these two girls.
“They acted bravely and they should be very proud of themselves.”