Two of our PCSOs have been praised for the crucial role they played in helping us catch a knifeman who’d stabbed a man in Coventry city center.
Ervin Negrobar stabbed the 37-year-old in Ironmonger Row on 15 December last year in an unprovoked attack as he was waiting to collect his wife.
The victim suffered a stab wound in his shoulder from which he is still recovering.
A description of the attacker was circulated on police airwaves to all officers, including PCSO Lauren Galloway who was on beat patrol with her colleague.
They spotted Negrobar around 20 minutes after the 9 pm attack and, suspecting he could be the offender, engaged him in conversation before following from a safe distance and relaying his movements to warranted officers.
Negrobar was detained in the street and found with a bloodied knife tucked inside his waistband.
The 23-year-old, of no fixed address, went on to admit wounding and last week (25 Feb) was jailed for seven-and-a-half years.
Investigating officer, Detective Constable Paul Deeley praised the PCSOs’ actions.
He said: “Much of the credit goes to Lauren and her colleague. They spotted him based on the description and struck up a conversation to keep him in the vicinity for longer.
“They gave police officers a running commentary and basically herded Negrobar into their path before he was surrounded and arrested. It was a great team effort.
“The victim was simply waiting to collect his wife from work. Negrobar began banging on the car windows and bonnet and kept trying the door handle; it’s not clear what his motivation was.
“The victim saw his wife approaching so got out to protect her; a fight ensued in which he was stabbed once just above the collar bone. He has suffered nerve damage from which he’s still recovering and I wish him well with his continued rehabilitation.
“I hope the fact we’ve delivered swift justice against the attacker, and that he’s been jailed for several years, will act as some comfort.”