Outstanding suspects sought following series of crimes in Brighton
Outstanding suspects sought following series of crimes in Brighton
25 August 2010
A 19-year-old man has been arrested in relation to a series of offences that took place in Brighton during the early hours of 10 August.
The man, who is local, has been bailed until 3 September whilst further inquiries take place.
Sussex Police are looking for three other people who they believe are linked to the series of crimes that happened in East Brighton in the early hours of Tuesday, 10 August, and are appealing for witnesses to help identify outstanding suspects.
DC Gemma Holley from Brighton and Hove's Anti-Victimisation Unit said: "Following a thorough investigation we now believe a series of incidents that happened in East Brighton are linked and we are keen to trace two men and two women. The suspects are described as white and aged between 14 and 20. The females are of average height and slim build both with shoulder length to long blonde hair. One was wearing dark/floral clothing and the other may have been wearing a light coloured top. The men are described as thin and between 5ft4 - 5ft10. One with short light hair or a skin head and the other with brown hair which was possibly spiky. They were wearing wearing dark tracksuit style clothing possibly with hoods.
"We believe this group are responsible for two assaults, two robberies and damage to a shop window and several vehicles"
Shortly after 2am on Tuesday, 10 August damage was caused to a number of parked vehicles in Rock Street, Rock Grove and Church Place in Kemptown, as well as a car being broken into and the sat nav stolen. The window of RJ Oriental food shop Chesham Road was vandalised and smashed.
Then around an hour later police were called to reports of a 21 year old local man who had been robbed of his bank card in Chesham Place.
The same group is then believed to have continued to the Dukes Mound area on Madeira Drive where at 3.40am they attacked a 61 year-old man with a bottle, causing head injuries, and stealing his car keys and making off with his Volvo car. The man was treated at the Royal Sussex County Hospital where he received 13 stitches to his head and had bruising to his face and body. The scene of the attack was cordoned off, whilst scenes of crime officers attended.
This stolen car was next seen by local residents at around 6am being driven erratically along Whitehawk Road, before it crashed into a parked blue Ford Fiesta in Wiston Way. It was found abandoned in Downash Close.
DC Gemma Holley added: "Officers responded to calls throughout that morning, however a number of suspects evaded arrest. Police are keen to speak to anyone who may have seen this group in the area, perhaps acting suspiciously or hiding out between the separate incidents. Their actions can only be described as mindless and they need to be caught before they embark on such criminal acts again."
If you know who the suspects are or have any information regarding these incidents please call 0845 6070999 and quote serial 154 of 10/08/10 or the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Newsdesk Note; a map showing the offences is e-mailable on request from Sussex Police media relations on 01273 404173 or 'media.hq@sussex.pnn.police.uk'.