Man of Honour
- Joined
- 29 Mar 2003
- Posts
- 57,759
- Location
- Stoke on Trent
AN INTERNET user in America caught a gang of thieves raiding a Liverpool store red handed as he logged on to webcam sites.
The man was sitting at his computer in Dallas, Texas, when he clicked on to a live camera link for the Mathew Street website.
Expecting to see pictures of the city's famous Beatles quarter, he was astonished to see three intruders breaking into Blacks outdoor sports store.
He watched as they propped a ladder on the wall outside the store and smashed a window on Button Street to clamber inside.
Despite being 4,590 miles away across the Atlantic, the conscientious American immediately telephoned Merseyside police to report the crime.
Thanks to his diligence, officers were waiting for the crooks and nabbed them as they tried to escape in a getaway car.
Today, Insp Damian Walsh of Merseyside police told the ECHO: "We were amazed when we were informed the person who reported the offence lived in the USA.
"But it showed how vital our camera system is to reduce and prevent offences."
It is thought the American may have been browsing the Mathew Street website in anticipation of the annual musical festival which starts today.
The gang smashed their way into the store at about 4.30am on Tuesday.
Thousands of pounds worth of sports clothing was quickly stuffed in bags and the thieves escaped with their haul down Mathew Street.
But officers were already hot on their heels and caught up with the gang on Victoria Street as they tried to flee in a car.
The next day, staff at Blacks were greeted with smashed fittings inside the shop and a splattering of blood over the floor.
The man was sitting at his computer in Dallas, Texas, when he clicked on to a live camera link for the Mathew Street website.
Expecting to see pictures of the city's famous Beatles quarter, he was astonished to see three intruders breaking into Blacks outdoor sports store.
He watched as they propped a ladder on the wall outside the store and smashed a window on Button Street to clamber inside.
Despite being 4,590 miles away across the Atlantic, the conscientious American immediately telephoned Merseyside police to report the crime.
Thanks to his diligence, officers were waiting for the crooks and nabbed them as they tried to escape in a getaway car.
Today, Insp Damian Walsh of Merseyside police told the ECHO: "We were amazed when we were informed the person who reported the offence lived in the USA.
"But it showed how vital our camera system is to reduce and prevent offences."
It is thought the American may have been browsing the Mathew Street website in anticipation of the annual musical festival which starts today.
The gang smashed their way into the store at about 4.30am on Tuesday.
Thousands of pounds worth of sports clothing was quickly stuffed in bags and the thieves escaped with their haul down Mathew Street.
But officers were already hot on their heels and caught up with the gang on Victoria Street as they tried to flee in a car.
The next day, staff at Blacks were greeted with smashed fittings inside the shop and a splattering of blood over the floor.
Good lord, I work not 100 feet from Mathew Street
