A have-a-go-hero shopkeeper who caught a thief in his store was told by police to release him - or face prosecution himself. <br /><br />Jarnail Singh Atwal, 67, captured the shoplifter red-handed as he stole a packet of washing machine tablets from his business on February 17. <br /><br />He quickly chased down, searched and apprehended the suspect before locking him inside Broomhall Off Licence in Chaddesden, Derby. <br /><br />But the brave shop owner was left stunned when he called police and was told he needed to release the crook or face being arrested. <br /><br />Mr Atwal was told his actions posed a threat to the other members of the public who were also trapped inside at the time.<br /><br />CCTV cameras captured the entire incident unfold but so far nobody has been arrested in connection with the attempted theft. <br /><br />“He walked out and I followed him and grabbed his bag, pulled him back to the shop and phoned the police. <br /><br />“The police said that I had to let him go or they’d prosecute. The police were bone idle, they didn’t want to do any work. They didn’t even turn up for it. <br /><br />“The shoplifter said 'let me go or I'll burn the shop down'. There were a few loyal customers in the shop at the time.<br /><br />"They weren't scared and were even trying to help me. <br /><br />“The police have asked me to send over the images and video I’ve got but I haven’t heard anything since. <br /><br />“They let him get away. It sends a message to thieves that anyone can walk in and take what they like without fear of being caught by police.<br /><br />It’s disgusting, is there any chance of finding him now? I don’t know who he was but it was recorded so there is evidence."<br /><br />Derbyshire Police said they advised Mr Atwal to release the suspect due to the threat he posed to other customers in the store. <br /><br />But Mr Atwal branded the police's response a ‘load of rubbish’ and said they even failed to turn up to the scene - despite the threats to burn his shop down. <br /> <br />He added: “The police's statement is a lot of rubbish. No one turned up in the end. <br /><br />“My wife was in the shop at the time. She saw him steal the stuff, I was in the back. She told me what happened and I followed him. <br /><br />“They said let him go or we’ll prosecute you. They even phoned me five minutes later and asked ‘is he gone?’ <br /><br />“There’s no chance of finding him now, they could have prosecuted him straight away.” <br /><br />A spokesperson for Derbyshire Police said: “Officers were called to reports that a man had been caught shoplifting at a store in Wiltshire Road, Chaddesden, on 17 February.<br /><br />"The caller explained that the man accused of shoplifting from the store had been locked in the shop – along with a number of other customers.<br /><br />“The caller explained that the man was allegedly making threats to harm those inside by setting fire to the shop.<br /><br />"Due to those threats – and the risk that was posed to the other customers – the caller was told that the door should be unlocked.<br /><br />"Since the incident officers have spoken with the owner of the shop in order to request CCTV in order to try and identify the man involved.”
