Time up very quickly for cement mixer thief

A cement mixer stolen at 10.18pm, was retrieved by police 18 minutes later, a suspect was arrested 11 minutes after that and by 11.30pm it was back home.  

Inspector Nick Waters said, “Our sincere thanks go to the member of the public who acted swiftly in initiating this timeline of events. 

“It ended in the safe return of the orange mixer.” 

Insp Waters said a member of the public in Gedney Hill reported seeing a number of men attempting to load the orange cement mixer into a van.  

"Suspicions were raised,” said the inspector. 

“The member of the public challenged the men who took off, apparently with little regard for the orange mixer which reportedly, well, fell off the back of a van…” 

With five minutes of receiving the call, police were sent to the scene. 

“At 22.33, an officer reported intelligence about a van he saw whilst on route to the scene,” said Insp Waters.  

“At 22.36 our officers were with the mixer which they found abandoned in the middle of the road.  

“At 22.37, our staff made contact with the owners of the mixer.  

“At 22.39, we found the van of interest. 

 “At 22.47, a 39-year-old man from Spalding was arrested on suspicion of attempt theft.  

“By 23.30, the orange mixer was returned to its rightful place.” 

Insp Waters added: “The moral of the story is this – report your suspicions. We will do what we can from there.”