Hull: Stolen laptop returned to owner within a day thanks to eagle-eyed PCSO

A PCSO quickly returned a stolen laptop to its owner after seizing it from a suspect – who had it with him while under arrest for another offence. 

The officer’s actions followed the theft of the laptop from a charity on Whitefriargate on Friday 17 May.

CCTV images were provided by the charity of a suspect. One of our PCSO’s identified him, and realised they already had him in custody for something unrelated. 

The suspect was found to have the laptop on him, so the PCSO seized it and returned it to the charity first thing the next morning. 

Paul Atkinson, 44, of Peel Street in Hull was charged with the unrelated offence of the attempted theft of a charity box from the Ferens Art Gallery on 17 July. 

He’s already appeared in court.