Stephen Watson detained the man after the theft in Bury New Road
Chf Con Stephen Watson helps with an arrest in Prestwich(Image: GMP)
Marching into action, fresh from a celebration to welcome his newest recruits, this is the moment Greater Manchester’s top cop helped make an arrest.
It’s highly unusual for a chief constable to get involved with the hard graft of arresting suspects on the ground.
But that was the reality faced by one alleged shoplifter in Prestwich yesterday afternoon (November 6).
Sir Stephen Watson QPM, Greater Manchester Police’s chief constable, had been attending a passing out parade – where the force had welcomed a new cohort of officers at the Sedgley Park training centre.
Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group HERE
GMP received reports of a theft from a store on Bury New Road, where a security guard was allegedly assaulted.
While officers chased the suspect on foot, Chf Con Watson ‘spotted the pursuit’ and decided to take action, the force said.
Moment GMP’s top officer helps arrest suspected shoplifter
He got ahead of the suspect before detaining the man, while chasing officers quickly arrived to make his arrest.
Video footage, captured by an officer’s body-worn camera, shows Chf Con Watson approaching the suspect before helping with the detention.
Officers went on to arrest another man and a woman close by in connection with the incident.
All three suspects – aged in their 30s – remain in custody today (Friday) on suspicion of theft.
Sir Stephen marches into action(Image: GMP)
A GMP spokesperson added: “It’s the latest action as part of our increased proactive enforcement of shop theft across Greater Manchester.
“Almost 500 shoplifters are being brought to justice every month with more than 6,000 offences solved in the year up to September 2025, compared to fewer than a thousand in the year before the Chief’s arrival in May 2021.”