Police publicity shoot in Doncaster town centre leads to real-life crime drama arrest

Footage was being filmed of police officers walking down the street as part of an internal South Yorkshire Police project – but they were stopped by a member of the public.

The woman who had stopped them wanted to raise concerns that she had that drugs were being sold at a location in the town centre.

South Yorkshire Police’s Doncaster central neighbourhoods team Insp Mark Payling said his officers arrested a man in Doncaster town centre on suspicion of possession of drugs with intent to supply as a result.

He said: “He was stopped and searched as a result of information received from a member of the public and found to have a large quantity of drugs and cash.

“He was released under investigation pending the results from tests on the substances he was found in possession of.”

Officers suspected that he may be selling spice.

He added: “If we had not been there doing what we were at the time, it may be that no one would have been arrested.

“We were filming something called 12 Days Of Christmas, which was about crime prevention, looking at things like crime prevention by stopping crimes such as theft from handbags.”

He added police were continuing to maintain high visibility patrols in the town centre to combat the issues of thefts from shops, drug use and begging.

He added: “Please be assured we are working with partners to help the homeless, but sadly there are a few people who have declined a raft of support measures in place to help them, whilst others continue to beg having accepted these measures. I ask shoppers to think carefully before handing over money to those who claim to have nothing as the truth is likely to be a little different.”

Doncaster Central neighbourhood team have a community engagement event planning on Facebook on Thursday 23 January 2020. It will run from 5.30pm until 6.30pm.