A violent stabbing in Preston and a police chase in Burnley have featured in the latest episodes of Channel 5's 'Police Interceptors', with a new episode airing tonight. The show, titled 'Police Interceptors: Taking Down the Shoplifting Gangs', highlights the work of Lancashire officers as part of Operation Vulture, which targets organised shoplifting.
In last week's episode, a shoplifting incident in Burnley turned into a dramatic foot chase after the theft of two bottles of Jack Daniel's, worth £44, from B&M. Police pursued the suspect, nicknamed 'Mick', through woodland after he fled from a nearby hostel. One officer said: 'I am currently following him through the woodland. He is getting a bit aggressive. The male is picking up rocks and attempting to throw them at me.' Despite escaping over railway tracks, the man was later arrested on suspicion of theft. During the arrest, residents threw eggs at the police car, and one onlooker encouraged the suspect to 'headbutt' officers. 'Mick' responded: 'I would do, but I will get done for assault if I knock the f**ker out.' Police confirmed he was convicted of assaulting police, assaulting an emergency worker, and theft.
The same episode also featured a serious incident in Preston, where a shoplifter stabbed a security guard in the leg outside a B&M store. The offender, Andrzej Mikulski, 27, of no fixed address, used a kitchen knife to stab the guard in his 40s outside the store in Carlisle Street on February 26 last year. The guard was attacked after chasing Mikulski, who had left with a basket of unpaid goods. Three police officers provided lifesaving first aid, using tourniquets to control bleeding. The victim was airlifted to Royal Preston Hospital for emergency surgery, where doctors found the knife had nearly passed through his entire thigh. Mikulski was found guilty in August of Section 18 wounding with intent.
A police spokesperson said: 'Catch our officers in action, tackling shoplifters in a brand-new Channel 5 documentary.' The four-episode series features several officers investigating shoplifting cases in Lancashire as part of Operation Vulture. A new episode airs tonight (March 2) on Channel 5 and is available on catch-up.
