Three men arrested following police investigation into burglary in the Cotswolds

Officers, dog handlers and the National Police Air Service worked to locate and arrest three men in the early hours of this morning in connection to burglaries and endangering an air craft.

At around 2.55am today, Friday 13 November, patrolling police officers saw a Vauxhall Corsa with two occupants driving in the village of Blockley near Moreton-in-Marsh.

Officers then lost sight of the vehicle for a few minutes before then finding it unoccupied a short distance away, rolled into a flower boarder with the engine running and the keys in the ignition.

In the rear of the vehicle were a number of power tools and items suspected by the officers at the scene to have been stolen.

A police dog handler attended the area and the police dog indicated it was following a strong track through some local gardens and fields.

With support from the National Police Air Service (NPAS) at around 3.30am officers on the ground were alerted to two people running across fields, close to where the dog had been tracking.

NPAS followed the figures, who at times appeared to be attempting to hide in hedgerows, and police officers were directed into the grounds of a farm, where two men were found.

During this time a laser was also shone at the helicopter pilot and more officers were directed to a location to locate who was responsible and a man was arrested.

A 17-year-old boy from Stratford-Upon-Avon was arrested on suspicion of burglary and a 29-year-old man from Worcester was arrested on suspicion of burglary also.

Both have been released under police bail pending further enquiries.

Timothy Wilsdon, aged 61 and from Station Road, Morton-in-Marsh has been charged with directing a laser beam toward an aircraft and is due to attend Cheltenham Magistrates Court on 1 March 2021.