by Marcus Dubois
Police are appealing to the public for help in tracing a man over the theft of an Abbey caravan – after he was pictured next to the tourer on Google Street View moments before the theft.
The owner of the stolen Abbey Aventura spotted the potential suspect while looking at his house on Google Street View.
The unnamed middle-aged man was recorded by the online search giant’s mapping cameras standing next to what appears to be a forest green Vauxhall Frontera 4×4. Derbyshire Police have issued the snapshot of the large, bald man with spectacles in an attempt to trace him for interview.
Stolen in broad daylight
According to Sky News last year Rebecca Soanes returned to her house in Linton, Derbyshire to find her caravan had been stolen. The white Abbey Aventura was towed away from Cauldwell Road in Linton sometime between the hours of 9.30am and 2pm on June 5th last year. She believes the Google image may have been taken sometime before the theft occurred.
After the stolen caravan worth £7,000 was reported there was initially little evidence to help Derbyshire Police. A forensic examination of the wheel-clamps that had secured the caravan took place, but the investigation failed to reveal any suspects.
Eye in the sky
Yet a stroke of good fortune has helped re-open the case after the owner’s son looked up the family house on Google Street View and spotted the stranger and the 4×4 on the driveway.
Neither Rebecca Soanes or her husband recognise the man and a neighbour who saw the stranger at the time has since said they thought he was a friend of the family.
Unfortunately for the couple vital information contained in the picture is unavailable to the investigation. Mrs Soanes told Sky News Online that police could not obtain the numberplate information from Google. The search engine firm reportedly said unblurred imagery from StreetView is retained for 12 months as part of a process to improve “blurring quality” before it is permanently altered to obscure details.
PC Adrian Mason is investigating the couple’s case and said “It is amazing that we have such a clear image of a man who we think will be able to give us information that would help the police enquiry. It was an amazing co-incidence that the Google Street View car was passing at that time.
“I’ve made extensive enquiries since the image was discovered but because the registration plate of the 4×4 is blanked out we have been unable to trace the man through his car.
“That is why we are appealing for the public’s help.”
