Police Appeal Oakham Residents Urged to Review CCTV After "Suspicious" Activity
Leicestershire Police have issued an urgent appeal to residents in Oakham and Barleythorpe, asking for help in tracking the movements of a man seen acting suspiciously on Monday afternoon.
The appeal follows a serious incident on Oakham High Street earlier that day, where a police officer was struck by a vehicle.
Police are specifically requesting that residents in the following areas review and retain any CCTV, doorbell, or dashcam footage from Monday, January 26, between 3:10 pm and 4:30 pm:
Long Row
Braunston Road
West Road
Welland Way (including all connecting side roads)
PCSO Lauren Lyall stated that investigators are looking for footage of individuals acting out of the ordinary during this timeframe.
“Any footage showing individuals matching this description, particularly loitering, repeatedly walking routes, attempting to conceal their actions, or interacting with properties or vehicles, would be of assistance,” said PCSO Lyall.
The request for footage is part of an ongoing effort to identify the movements and behavior of a man reported in the area shortly after the High Street incident.
At approximately 3:10 pm on Monday, a police officer was struck by a car on Oakham High Street. The incident occurred after the officer approached the driver of an illegally parked vehicle.
In a message of gratitude to the community, PCSO Lyall thanked the bystanders who rushed to the officer’s aid: “To the kind members of the public that stopped to help my colleague on Oakham High Street earlier today, your help and kindness has not gone unnoticed and we all thank you.”
If you have footage or information that could assist the investigation, please contact the police:
Phone: Call 101
Reference: Quote incident 0369 of January 26
Police Officer Injured and damaged cars as Driver Flees via Oakham High Street pavement
Police Officer Injured and damaged cars as Driver Flees via Oakham High Street pavement.
A routine parking intervention turned into a scene of "pure chaos" Monday afternoon when an illegally parked driver mounted the pavement and struck a police officer to evade questioning.
The incident occurred at approximately 3:10 PM on January 26, in Oakham’s High Street. the vehicle a a grey Honda CRV illegally parked, sped away from the scene, leaving a trail of damaged cars and a massive police manhunt in its wake.
Two officers on foot patrol approached a vehicle parked illegally on the High Street. When they attempted to engage with the driver, the situation escalated instantly. After refusing to engage with police, the car was driven towards the officers, causing one officer to mount the bonnet of the car.
The driver didn’t stop there. In a bid to escape, the vehicle struck two stationary cars before mounting the pavement and speeding away through the town centre.
Locals reported seeing the police helicopter circling and drone overhead while a police dog was deployed on the ground to track the suspect's scent.
The car involved in the incident was found abandoned a few hours later in Harrington Way. It has since been recovered by police later that afternoon, the driver remains at large.
Remarkably, the officer involved escaped serious harm. He sustained minor cuts and grazes during the collision and did not require hospital treatment.
Enquiries are currently ongoing to identify and locate the driver. Leicestershire Police are urging anyone who was in the High Street area at the time or who may have dashcam footage of the incident to come forward.
Detective Inspector Jim Willoughby said: “We are urgently trying to find the man responsible for this incident. Luckily the officer was not seriously injured, but this doesn’t take away from the fact that he was driven at and hit by a car in order for the man to evade police.
“We have already recovered CCTV from the area and carried out a number of house-to-house enquiries but our investigation continues and we want to hear from anyone who can provide any information. Were you in the area of High Street around the time of the incident or in Harrington Way and saw the driver running from the car?
“Any details you can provide might help in finding the person responsible.”
Incident Number: 369
Date: January 26
Contact: Call 101 or report online via the Leicestershire Police website.
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