Armed robberies: Police in freezing river
THREE West Norfolk police officers risked their lives to make a dramatic riverside arrest linked to the armed robberies at households and businesses across the area.
Two police helicopters, the latest thermal imaging equipment and specialist dog units were brought in during the almost hour-long search in the freezing cold waters of the River Delph at Welney on Saturday night.
READ RELATED: Positive response in raids investigation.
The operation led to the arrest of a 43-year-old man, who had to be rescued from the river by the officers with help from a helicopter after he passed out.
The suspect, from the Huntingdon area, has since been released on police bail after being questioned by officers from Norfolk's Major Investigation Team in connection with the series of armed robberies over the past three weeks.
At 10pm on Saturday, police on routine patrol spotted a blue saloon car they were interested in on the A1101 at Welney and directed it to stop. It failed to do so and almost immediately overturned in a field near to Welney Wash, causing slight injuries to the 24-year-old woman driver.
The male passenger ran into nearby marshland near the River Delph, hotly pursued by a firearms sergeant and a police constable based in Swaffham and a specialist police dog handler from Lynn.
The dog handler said: "As the tracker, I went into the water first with my dog and the other two followed behind. I thought it would just be up to our knees so I jumped in and ended up in thick sludge up to my neck.
"We thought that would be as bad as it would get but for most of the way we were wading through water full of algae and mud up to our necks and getting cut to bits.
"It was freezing cold and our protective clothing and belt rigs were weighing us down and there were a few times we thought we were in trouble, but the adrenalin took over and we were determined to find him."
The Norfolk and Cambridgeshire Police helicopters were brought in to help in the search and there were also officers and specialist units from both police forces.
A Norfolk Police spokesman said: "Police used state-of-the-art thermal imaging equipment and police dogs to track the suspect as he crawled through undergrowth and deep reeds near to a suspension bridge."
After 55 minutes in the freezing water and struggling with the onset of hypothermia, the three officers found the man holding on to a tree. As he passed out, they had to drag themselves and him out of the water.
"We were all completely exhausted. The dog was exhausted and panicky so he was on my shoulders and we kept sinking, but eventually we found a bit of higher ground and some water so we just swam into it," the dog handler recalled.
"I was able to get out but the helicopter dropped some rope down for the other two so they could hold that and keep another arm looped around the man."
The suspect and three officers were all taken to Lynn's Queen Elizabeth Hospital to be treated for hypothermia and were later discharged. The officers, who do not want to be named, were back at work on Sunday evening.
The woman car driver, from the Huntingdon area, was treated by paramedics at the scene. She was also arrested but has since been released on police bail.
Two men and a woman from Littleport in Cambridgeshire were released on police bail last week after being questioned by Norfolk detectives about the raids. She was arrested in connection with the incident and was released on police bail yesterday.
West Norfolk Police commander Chief Superintendent Tony Cherington said: “The officers used their skills and their instincts to carry out what was a very brave operation. They thought nothing of risking their own safety to bring the matter to conclusion.”
The investigation into the raids by a balaclava-clad gang armed with shotguns, at Nordelph, Stow Bridge, North Runcton, Upwell, Elm, near Wisbech, Wereham and Weeting continues. Two other men and a woman arrested in connection with the raids are currently on police bail.
mike.last@lynnnews.co.uk
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Weather for King's Lynn
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
