This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-35550719
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Hamster jibes for Essex PC whose pet food was stolen during chase | Hamster jibes for Essex PC whose pet food was stolen during chase |
(about 14 hours later) | |
A police officer whose shopping was stolen when he left it to chase a supermarket shoplifter has become the butt of his colleagues' jokes. | A police officer whose shopping was stolen when he left it to chase a supermarket shoplifter has become the butt of his colleagues' jokes. |
Off-duty PC Graham Thomas left the hamster food he purchased to chase the thief at Asda in South Woodham Ferrers, but when he came back it was gone. | Off-duty PC Graham Thomas left the hamster food he purchased to chase the thief at Asda in South Woodham Ferrers, but when he came back it was gone. |
Shortly after, numerous pictures of hamsters mysteriously appeared alongside "wanted" posters at his Chelmsford police station. | Shortly after, numerous pictures of hamsters mysteriously appeared alongside "wanted" posters at his Chelmsford police station. |
He said it was "all a bit of fun". | He said it was "all a bit of fun". |
PC Thomas had been picking up food for his pet hamster Chippy, plus some vegetables and beer, when he noticed the shoplifter dashing out of the supermarket. | PC Thomas had been picking up food for his pet hamster Chippy, plus some vegetables and beer, when he noticed the shoplifter dashing out of the supermarket. |
Leaving his shopping with staff, the officer gave chase. | Leaving his shopping with staff, the officer gave chase. |
He said he was annoyed not only to have failed to catch the thief, but to return to find staff had put his shopping in a chiller cabinet - which was then stolen by another shoplifter. | He said he was annoyed not only to have failed to catch the thief, but to return to find staff had put his shopping in a chiller cabinet - which was then stolen by another shoplifter. |
Asda refunded PC Thomas the £18 he had spent, but news of the stolen hamster treats spread quickly among his fellow officers. | Asda refunded PC Thomas the £18 he had spent, but news of the stolen hamster treats spread quickly among his fellow officers. |
'Light ribbing' | 'Light ribbing' |
"Almost immediately pictures of hamsters started appearing. There was one on my in-tray and several elsewhere," he said. | "Almost immediately pictures of hamsters started appearing. There was one on my in-tray and several elsewhere," he said. |
"Someone drew tears on one of the hamsters and wrote that 'the hamster was the real victim of this crime'. | "Someone drew tears on one of the hamsters and wrote that 'the hamster was the real victim of this crime'. |
"I keep thinking one day I'll walk in to find a bowl of hamster food left out for me." | "I keep thinking one day I'll walk in to find a bowl of hamster food left out for me." |
His colleague PC Alan Conran was suspected of being behind the mysterious hamster pictures. | His colleague PC Alan Conran was suspected of being behind the mysterious hamster pictures. |
PC Conran tweeted several hamster-related messages after the supermarket incident. | PC Conran tweeted several hamster-related messages after the supermarket incident. |
"Colleagues at Chelmsford have been lightly ribbing PC Thomas," he wrote. | "Colleagues at Chelmsford have been lightly ribbing PC Thomas," he wrote. |
However, when asked, PC Conran denied having anything to do with the pictures. | |
"It's getting quite a lot of interaction on Twitter but it's just a bit of light-hearted fun," he said. | "It's getting quite a lot of interaction on Twitter but it's just a bit of light-hearted fun," he said. |
Previous version
1
Next version