A brazen Tesco shoplifter was wrestled to the floor by an off-duty policeman who spotted him while driving to the barbers.
PC Parkinson sprang into action after recognising prolific thief Jamie Toone behind the wheel in front of him.
The officer, from Hampshire Police’s City Arrest Team, followed the suspect after he parked outside a Tesco Express in Southampton.
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Toone then allegedly stuffed a number of stolen items into his bag inside the store on Spring Road, as reported by Need To Know.
Dramatic CCTV footage captured the moment the officer tackled the shoplifter to the ground before revealing he was a police officer.
PC Parkinson had just finished his shift and was on his way to get a haircut on 6 May when he spotted the suspect.
The 49 year old was allegedly seen cramming large bars of chocolate into his bag before prowling the aisles for more goods.
Following his arrest, Toone, of Victoria Road, Southampton, was charged with seven counts of shoplifting.
He appeared before Southampton Magistrates’ Court on 7 May where he pleaded guilty.
Toone is due to be sentenced on 27 May.
A spokesperson for Southampton Police said: “Just because our officers are off-duty, doesn’t mean they won’t still tackle crime.
“That was exactly the case for PC Parkinson, of City Arrest Team fame and who you have seen in action before kicking in a door.
“After finishing up his shift for the day, during which he had already helped make several arrests across Southampton, he was driving to the barber when he spotted a wanted shoplifter in the car in front.
“Knowing the man was a prolific shoplifter who was wanted in connection with several incidents, PC Parkinson decided when the man parked up at Tesco in Spring Road, he would as well.
“CCTV shows Jamie Toone brazenly enter the store, and start jamming handfuls of large bars of chocolate into his bag, before scouting out the rest of the shelves for anything else.
“However, little did he know that PC Parkinson, in just his civvies, had followed him in, announcing he was police and immediately apprehending him.
“Our officers are committed to tackling crime, regardless of whether they are on or off duty, wanting to make Southampton a safer and more welcoming city for all who live, work or visit here.”
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