Family hailed for lending BOAT to Florida police to arrest jet ski thief

Police have hailed a family for lending their BOAT - so officers could go onto the water and arrest a suspected jet ski thief.

Bodycam footage from a Volusia County deputy in Florida shows the officers approach the family at a boat ramp, seeking their assistance.

At first they ask the boat owners to drive them to intercept the suspect - but the family quickly gives permission for the officers to go it alone.

After commandeering the boat, deputies go on to find the suspect floating helplessly on the water - unable to get the jet ski's engine to start.

They demand that he abandon the vehicle and swim over to them at which point the suspect calls back, "I don't know how to swim".

The suspect, identified as Ronald Williams, was later taken into custody and the jet ski was returned to its owner, police said.

A spokesperson for Volusia Sheriff's Office said: "We want to say a huge thank you to the Ormond Beach family who let our deputies interrupt their Sunday afternoon to apprehend a suspect on a stolen jet ski."

The incident happened on June 5.