A TOP police officer would like to shake a man by the hand after he helped catch a thief who had stolen jewellery worth £16,000.

The mystery member of the public, believed to be in his late 50s or early 60s, was in Sainsbury's car park, off Roman Square, on September 16 when he saw the armed offender being pursued by a plain-clothed officer.

After watching the policeman tackle 30-year-old John Roffey to the ground, the Good Samaritan rushed over to help.

Chief Inspector Tony Henley, who is in charge of policing in Swale, said: "The police officer introduced himself as an officer and somebody came to his assistance. He held the offender down while the officer arrested him. I don't know who he is but I would really like to get in touch with him. It was an outstanding piece of work by a member of the public. I would like to shake him by the hand."

Mr Henley said three plain-clothed officers, two men and a woman, were in the town centre on other business when they heard Roffey smashing the window of Battrum and Son in Sittingbourne High Street just before noon.

While the woman police officer took statements from witnesses and spoke to shop staff, her colleagues gave chase.

Mr Henley continued: "The offender gave them a right runaround but all the way through people were indicating which way he'd gone. At every turn we were assisted by members of the public. It was fantastic."

The chief inspector recognised it was a risk for the officer, who is trained to deal with confrontation, to take on an crowbar-wielding burglar who had just smashed his way into a jewellery store, but said it was an even greater risk for an untrained member of the public.

He said: "For the officers, it is what is expected of them but the fact they did it so well means I'm very proud of them. This underlines the way we work with the community in the community and with their support we can do some really great things. I would like to say a genuine thank you to all members of the community who got involved but particularly to the man at Sainsbury's."

Roffey, of Welling, London, pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary at Maidstone Magistrates' Court on Saturday, September 17 and will be sentenced at Maidstone Crown Court on a date which is yet to be set.

Three Rolex watches he stole have been returned to the jewellers and none of the shop staff were hurt.

Are you the man Chief Inspector Henley wishes to congratulate? Call Sittingbourne CID on 01795 419155 or contact the Gazette on 01634 236320 or by e-mailing newsdesk.gazette@KRNmedia.co.uk to tell us your story.