Thief trapped by herd of llamas cornering suspect till cops make arrest
The suspect has stolen tobacco from a woman and had hopped the fence of the llama’s enclosure, who then proceeded to gallop and surround him, giving his position away
Llamas were roped in to help track a thief who hopped the fence of their field(Image: Heidi Price / SWNS)
Cops nabbed a thief with the help of a herd of llamas who cornered the suspect in a field until officers could arrive. Heidi Price and Graham Oliver were alerted to the intruder on their farmland when the animals began making a loud alarm call.
Moments earlier, the crook had robbed tobacco from a woman before he jumped a fence into the farm in a bid to flee police. But his getaway plan was rumbled when eight llamas galloped over to him as he was running through the field in the dark and surrounded him.
Their warning cry was heard by Heidi and Graham who were stunned to discover the 6ft crime-fighting llamas had made a “citizen’s arrest” at the farm off Carnfield Hall in South Normanton, Derbyshire. Heidi said: “This was after dusk and an offender who just escaped police jumped over the fence into our farm. He had a torch with him, and he was running across the field.
“We’ve got eight llamas and llamas don’t like people entering their personal space after dusk. Our llamas galloped over to him and surrounded him.
“They literally made a circle around him and then started releasing their warning cry, which sounds like an old man laughing. This alerted my partner, who ran out of the house with the dog.
“He saw the man surrounded by llamas in the middle of the field. He didn’t know what to do next and looked absolutely terrified.
“My partner led him back across the field, to where he’s come from, and back over the fence where the police arrested him. If it hadn’t been to the llamas making their citizen’s arrest, this guy would have got away. I’m really proud of my llamas.
“When all this was happening, they didn’t spit on anyone so they good kept manners — even when faced with adversity.” Derbyshire Police confirmed that a man in his 30s was arrested on suspicion of theft and released on police bail after they were called to reports of a woman having a number of packets of tobacco stolen from her in South Normanton at around 6pm on February 2.
They said: “The suspect was seen to head off towards to woodland off Carnfield Hill. Officers attended the area and were approached by a member of the public who explained that someone was in their field.”
However, whilst these llamas were able to help stop the theft, not every animal is so lucky, after a group of lags were able to make off with thousands of pounds worth of snails which were due to head to Michelin restaurants. Stunned snail farmer Jean-Mathieu Dauvergne said €90,000 of stock — his entire annual production — was stolen in the raid.
“It’s very surprising because they stole 450 kilos of snail meat,” Dauvergne said. “It’s incredible to have stolen so much. It must be for a very well-organised network.”
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