Police spy in the sky finds missing Worksop man and a suspected car thief

Officers began their search for the 31-year-old man after he was reported missing from the Worksop area last Friday night (April 24).

The force’s drone team were deployed to assist officers soon after, with the drone conducting an area search. It located a heat source in the middle of a large field, over a kilometre away from where the man was reported missing, and it turned out to be him.

The drone’s pilot helped to direct officers to the man who was found within an hour before being taken to hospital.

The next day, during the early hours of the morning, West Bridgford Police were in pursuit of a car which had failed to stop.

After abandoning the car at Edwalton Industrial Estate, two male occupants ran off into nearby fields with officers giving chase.

A 21-year-old man was detained on suspicion of multiple driving offences and possession of cannabis but the second man managed to make his way further into the fields and away from officers.

Shortly after, a drone officer was called to the scene who carried a search of the area and the drone found the second man hiding in a hedgerow.

The 20-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle and failing to stop.

Both men were subsequently released under investigation.

Inspector Dean Gallacher, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “These two incidents are yet further success stories for the drone team and, in the case of the missing man, the technology enabled us to search a vast area and find someone who we had genuine concerns for the safety of much faster than had we been relying solely on traditional search techniques.”

“They are proving their effectiveness and are now a vital part of operational policing in our county, aiding officers in a number of areas of vital police work.”