By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept

Need To Know

News, culture and entertainment you need to know

Font ResizerAa
  • U.K News
  • World
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Money
  • Travel
  • Fitness and health
  • Tech
  • Motors
  • Sports
  • More
Reading: Brave dad pins down suspect after hearing desperate cop screaming for back-up
Share
Font ResizerAa

Need To Know

News, culture and entertainment you need to know

  • U.K News
  • World
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Money
  • Travel
  • Fitness and health
  • Tech
  • Motors
  • Sports
  • More
Search
  • U.K News
  • World
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Money
  • Travel
  • Fitness and health
  • Tech
  • Motors
  • Sports
  • More
Follow US
Need To Know > U.K News > Brave dad pins down suspect after hearing desperate cop screaming for back-up
Hero dad Chris Topps jumped from his car to help a lone cop wrestling a suspect outside a police station in Torquay - pinning him down until backup arrived.
U.K News

Brave dad pins down suspect after hearing desperate cop screaming for back-up

NTK Journalist
Last updated: September 8, 2025 10:04 am
NTK Journalist Published September 8, 2025
Share
Dad Chris Topps, in black shorts, helped the lone cop wrestle the man who was trying to escape in the street. (Jam Press/Laura Topps)
SHARE

A hero dad on a family day out leapt into action when he spotted a lone cop wrestling with a man in the street.

Dashcam footage showed the desperate officer grappling with a suspect on the pavement

The pair could be seen crashing to the ground as the officer clung to the man’s legs to stop him escaping.

READ MORE: Car with fake reg plates stopped by cops using stinger… who then find out driver is also drunk

But just as it looked like the suspect might break free, another man – dressed in black shorts and a grey top – ran in to help pin him down until back-up arrived.

The passer-by was dad Chris Topps, who had been heading to a garden centre with wife Laura and their youngest child in Torquay, Devon.

Hero dad Chris Topps jumped from his car to help a lone cop wrestling a suspect outside a police station in Torquay - pinning him down until backup arrived.
The area where the incident happened. (Picture: Jam Press)

“My husband ran out of the car to help. He was, in fact, the passenger that day,” Laura told Need To Know.

“He didn’t even give anything a second thought.

“His brother is a police officer, so he knew if anything like this was happening to his brother, he would hope someone would help too.

“The fact that this happened right outside the police station is wild.

Hero dad Chris Topps jumped from his car to help a lone cop wrestling a suspect outside a police station in Torquay - pinning him down until backup arrived.
Chris Topps and wife Laura. (Jam Press/Laura Topps)

“When we drove past, the poor policeman was screaming for back up.

“If Chris hadn’t jumped out to help when he did, I think the man would have probably got away.

“We were going to a garden centre with our youngest to pick some new plants for the garden.

“He didn’t expect to be jumping on someone outside the police station.”

(Picture: Jam Press)

It happened on June 14, but the video has only just come to light.

Devon and Cornwall Police have been approached for comment.

READ MORE: Masked mob with ladder slammed by patriotic man after they removed Union Jack flags in city centre

You Might Also Like

Woman slaps cheating partner as he watches World Cup match

Lidl raid foiled as hero customer sends crook packing

Zoo visitors stunned as donkey is crudely painted to resemble zebra

Missing US couple feared among four bodies found in secret graves

Footballer dies in horror car crash aged 19

TAGGED:arrestedcaughtCrimeHeroHorrornewsshockingUKVideo
Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Email Print
What do you think?
Love0
Sad0
Happy0
Sleepy0
Angry0
Dead0
Wink0
Leave a comment Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Follow US

Find US on Social Medias
FacebookLike
TwitterFollow
InstagramFollow
TiktokFollow
Most read
A five-year-old boy with a rare brain disease who became the face of a Dutch fundraising campaign has died at home in his mother's arms - his family helped raise €11m for research.
World

‘Child influencer’ who inspired £10m fundraiser for rare disease research dies aged five

William McGee William McGee June 19, 2026
‘I was tired of my boring life so I divorced my husband, quit my job and left my kids to move 5,000 miles away’
‘I blamed divorce stress for feeling sick – then my fingers turned ghostly white and my teeth fell out’
‘I thought my mum had died as a child – then a family friend revealed I’d been SOLD on the BLACK MARKET’
Football fan falls from great height and injures himself in bizarre World Cup celebration

Categories

  • Lifestyle
  • U.K News
  • World
  • Technology
  • Business
Quick Link
  • My Bookmark
  • Interests
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Write for us
  • Authors
  • Contact
Top Categories
  • Business
  • Environment
  • Lifestyle
  • Technology
  • Fitness and health
  • Property
  • Entertainment

Subscribe US

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

Read Next

A mother was shot dead after stepping in to protect her teenage son when a Facebook Marketplace watch sale turned violent - the suspect allegedly fired as he fled the front porch.
US

Mum killed during botched Facebook marketplace robbery attempting to protect son

June 18, 2026
More than 400 live cats crammed into cages and dozens of dead ones packed in ice were seized in Vietnam during one of the largest cat theft operations uncovered in recent years.
AnimalsNews

Hundreds of felines rescued from cat meat market in massive bust

June 18, 2026
A man was filmed prodding a nearly two-metre crocodile with a palm frond to save a cat trapped in its jaws - but despite his efforts, he couldn't stop it from being devoured.
AnimalsNews

Fearless man strikes enormous croc with branch in bid to save cat

June 18, 2026
A gang used a stolen telehandler to rip a cash machine clean out of a Nationwide branch wall in a 3am ram raid, making off with tens of thousands of pounds in minutes.
U.K News

Dramatic moment ram-raid gang rip cash machine from building society in dead-of-night raid

June 18, 2026
A 25-year-old samba dancer died in intensive care 15 days after an explosion tore through her new flat during a sofa waterproofing service, killing the worker carrying out the job too.
World

Dancer, 25, dies in ICU after sofa waterproofing sparks deadly blast in new flat

June 18, 2026
A mum who weighed 25 stone and dreaded the school run has lost over 14 stone without exercise - ditching daily sausage rolls and takeaways that cost her £6,200 a year.
Fitness and health

Mum who gorged on daily sausage rolls and pork pies loses 14st WITHOUT exercise

June 18, 2026
Hidden camera footage caught rogue traders bullying an 83-year-old into handing over £18,000 for barely any roofing work - part of a wider fraud that drained 11 victims of £880,000.
U.K News

Rogue traders con vulnerable elderly victims out of £880,000

June 18, 2026
An experienced mountain guide and his partner were killed by an avalanche in Peru while climbing together - their Peruvian guide survived and raised the alarm via satellite phone.
World

Couple killed by avalanche while mountain climbing

June 18, 2026

Categories

  • Lifestyle
  • U.K News
  • World
  • Technology
  • Business
Quick Link
  • My Bookmark
  • Interests
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Write for us
  • Authors
  • Contact
Top Categories
  • Business
  • Environment
  • Lifestyle
  • Technology
  • Fitness and health
  • Property
  • Entertainment

Subscribe US

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

2024 © Need To Know. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?