Police community support officer foils bungling Sunderland vodka thief on his day off

CSO Daniel Taylor was in the Tesco Extra supermarket at Roker Retail Park, Sunderland, when he spotted a shopper acting suspiciously nearby.

He soon saw the customer, Kieron Flynn, place three bottles of Grey Goose vodka under his jacket.

CSO Taylor then tipped off the store’s security staff who gratefully intervened as Flynn attempted to leave the store without paying.

He then waited at the scene until police officers arrived to arrest the suspect.

Flynn, 28, of Tatham Street, in Sunderland’s East End, pleaded guilty to attempted theft when he appeared at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court the following day and is due to learn his fate when he is sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court on Monday, December 14.

Now Chief Inspector Nicola Wearing, of Northumbria Police, has hailed CSO Taylor for his selfless actions while off duty.

She said: “I’m incredibly proud to know that I have colleagues like CSO Taylor who are willing to go above and beyond despite being off-duty to ensure criminals are rightly brought to justice.

“By raising the alarm he has helped detain a thief who is now awaiting sentence.

“Shoplifting is increasingly being dealt with by security at the shops themselves, but this incident shows we will still take robust action against those who bring misery to businesses in the city.”

The incident took place at around 3pm on November 15.

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