The ne'er-do-well who pinched a handbag outside the 'Designer Bargains' shop in Kensington Church Street yesterday must have absolutely shat his knickers after being apprehended by a total of fifteen policemen. Just who was this guy? The Hulk? Quite why it needed two patrol cars, a BMW pursuit car and a van to stop this menace is a bit of mystery, but then perhaps we shouldn't be complaining about a surplus of police resources in Kensington.
If the Met start to get concerned that their officers are having too much fun razzing around the joint in high pursuit vehicles looking for pickpockets to run down, perhaps they could think about re-deploying the rollerblade cops who'll now be at a bit of a loss after their time in the Royal Parks has come to a close . The rollerbladers became obselete after the criminals (in black and white striped jumpers, cloth hats, masks and big brown sacks with the word 'swag' stencilled on, of course) cottoned on that they weren't at their most effective on grass. And now that they're kicking their wheeled heels, perhaps it's time to take to the streets? A pursuit car and fifteen officers versus a lone bag snatcher just isn't a fair fight. But a rollerblading policeman versus a running perp? That's a spectator sport.
Photo by Jamie Wiseman
