04/08/2010
No Hiding Place From PSNI Helicopter
A robbery suspect has been arrested in Co Tyrone following a 40-mile police chase.
The suspect was detained in connection with a robbery after being chased by a police helicopter and patrol cars for 40 miles.
The 'eye-in-the-sky' was tasked after reports of a robbery at a supermarket in Magherafelt at 7.30pm on Tuesday.
The suspect threatened a staff member and stole cash from the till.
A 33-year-old was arrested near Plumbridge after police followed a car that was alleged to have driven off from the scene.
A stinger device was used to halt the car at around 8.30pm.
Yesterday, the PSNI revealed that it has just spent £7m on a second helicopter to keep up with a rising number of incidents requiring air cover - and after being forced to hire an aircraft for a time as the dissident threat escalated along the Irish border.
The Eurocopter EC 145 is the most modern police helicopter operating in Europe.
The new, larger twin-engine aircraft can carry up to 10 people, including crew, and has space for two stretcher casualties in rescue situations.
So far this year the existing five-year-old PSNI helicopter has been deployed on 1,058 occasions, including 56 for public disorder and 25 for VIP protection.
It has also helped police track down 36 suspects, locate 19 missing people and evacuate 11 casualties.
It is not known if the new EC 145 was the aircraft used in yesterday's incident.
See: PSNI Opens New 'Eye In Sky'
(BMcC/GK)
The suspect was detained in connection with a robbery after being chased by a police helicopter and patrol cars for 40 miles.
The 'eye-in-the-sky' was tasked after reports of a robbery at a supermarket in Magherafelt at 7.30pm on Tuesday.
The suspect threatened a staff member and stole cash from the till.
A 33-year-old was arrested near Plumbridge after police followed a car that was alleged to have driven off from the scene.
A stinger device was used to halt the car at around 8.30pm.
Yesterday, the PSNI revealed that it has just spent £7m on a second helicopter to keep up with a rising number of incidents requiring air cover - and after being forced to hire an aircraft for a time as the dissident threat escalated along the Irish border.
The Eurocopter EC 145 is the most modern police helicopter operating in Europe.
The new, larger twin-engine aircraft can carry up to 10 people, including crew, and has space for two stretcher casualties in rescue situations.
So far this year the existing five-year-old PSNI helicopter has been deployed on 1,058 occasions, including 56 for public disorder and 25 for VIP protection.
It has also helped police track down 36 suspects, locate 19 missing people and evacuate 11 casualties.
It is not known if the new EC 145 was the aircraft used in yesterday's incident.
See: PSNI Opens New 'Eye In Sky'
(BMcC/GK)
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