PC Max Kelly, an officer in the territorial support group, was called to the home of a vulnerable man in Lewisham, south London, after a burglary. Doorbell footage showed three men smashing through the victim's door. The victim, who was shaken, struggled to give a clear account but remembered one burglar shouting: 'Come on Tyrone, let's go'.
Officer's detective work
Refusing to let the lack of other information become a dead end, PC Kelly took the name Tyrone – relatively common across London – and worked through police records across Lewisham, identifying potential matches and comparing their images with the doorbell footage. His sleuthing led him to serial offender Tyrone Muir, whose image matched the man in the footage.
Muir, 47, was arrested and charged with the burglary thanks to PC Kelly's tireless detective work. The arrest came after police raided his home but found it empty. However, PC Kelly spotted him on a bench 10 minutes from the house, despite Muir having changed his appearance completely.
Jailing and praise
Muir was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on Monday after admitting the charge in July. Speaking after the sentencing, PC Kelly said: 'It took time to trawl through all the potential matches, but I was determined to explore every avenue. When I matched Muir's face to the man in the footage, I knew we had our suspect. I couldn't believe it when I spotted him on the bench and swiftly arrested him.'
Chief Superintendent Chris Green, who leads the Pan London Taskforce, praised PC Kelly: 'This was a distressing case, involving a vulnerable individual who had been cruelly targeted in his own home and may have been further exploited by Muir. PC Kelly's actions demonstrate the best of policing and are representative of the standards of professionalism and commitment on the TSG. He refused to give up, identified a small but significant clue and worked hard to safeguard the victim. Criminals should be under no illusion we will pursue every lead to bring them to justice. That is what we are here to do.'
