Horrified shoppers watched after a knife wielding shoplifter was arrested at a Wisbech out of town store.

The man was arrested just after 3pm on Good Friday on suspicion of shoplifting, assault, possession of a class B drug and for possession of an offensive weapon.

Police released a photo of the knife on their social media channels today.

The detained man’s mother posted to Policing Fenland Facebook page today claiming her son had been detained overnight and remained in custody without mental health and medical support.

Police said they were called to B&M in Elm High Road which is just inside the Norfolk border to a “report of a violent shoplifter”.

The suspect was taken to the police investigation centre of King’s Lynn “on behalf of our Norfolk Police colleagues who have taken on the investigation into this matter”.

Policing Fenland said in a statement they “thank the people who assisted the officer at the scene”.