'Hello mate!' Police find suspected car thief hiding in loft

Police bodycam footage has captured the moment a suspected car thief was caught hiding in a house loft. Officers found the man after a pursuit took place on Wednesday (August 3) afternoon which saw a patrol car rammed.

The driver made off in a stolen BMW but he was later tracked to a house. And West Midlands Polic e (WMP) dog Romeo led officers to an address near the car, where cannabis was also found.

When the property was searched, police say a suspected firearm in a bed was also seized as well as plates from stolen cars. The officer then found the man who was curled up trying to hide in one of the hatches.

Police footage shows the moment a police officer finds him after pulling back a panel. In true British fashion, the officer can be heard chirpily saying: "Hello mate!' as he tells colleagues he has located the suspect.

He then tells him to come out. The video captures him saying: "Come here, come here - or the dog comes in."

The man, unsurprisingly, then quickly comes out. But the exchange remains good-natured, and the officer carefully checks he is OK as he handcuffs him.

"Lie straight down," he says. "Hands behind your back. All right... are you hurt at all, mate? Seriously? OK. You OK? You sure?"

The man, who is 26-years-old and from Sutton Coldfield, was arrested on suspicion of possession of drugs, possession of a firearm and burglary. He has been released on bail.

Superintendent Jim Munro, force car crime lead, said: “Our officers are not only working to keep the thousands of people safe across the region who are attending CWG, but are still continuing to crack down on those committing crime in our region.

“Not only have we found and located a stolen car, but a potential lethal weapon and illegal drugs have also been found and taken off our streets.

“Catching thieves who target cars is one of our top priorities and yesterday’s work is just one of many examples of our commitment to finding those who may be responsible.”