In Novopolotsk, fifth-graders chased a robber and helped apprehend him

The events unfolded on the evening of May 12 in one of the city courtyards. Schoolgirls were playing volleyball, and their belongings were lying near the court. One of the passers-by decided to take advantage of this – a man grabbed two mobile phones and fled. Without losing a second, the girls, three of them, ran after the robber, shouting and demanding that the man stop and return their belongings. One of the friends managed to catch up and grab the fugitive by the arm. The man, hoping to break free from the brave pursuers, threw the phones on the ground, but the fifth-graders continued the chase, despite having recovered their property. The man tried to escape by running into one of the building's entrances. The friends stayed outside and informed the driver of a stopped car that a robber was hiding in the entrance. The driver called the police. The schoolgirls provided all the information about the incident to the arriving police officers and pointed out the suspect, who by that time was already at a public transport stop. It turned out that the robber had previously been convicted 8 times for property theft. The Novopolotsk City Department of the Investigative Committee has initiated a criminal case against the detainee under Part 2 of Article 206 of the Criminal Code (robbery committed repeatedly). He has been in custody since his detention. After the accused familiarizes himself with the case materials, it will be transferred to the prosecutor for forwarding to court.

At a school assembly, representatives of the internal affairs bodies and the Investigative Committee thanked the students of Gymnasium No. 1 (Diana Romanova, Polina Pirogova, and Sofia Shashkina) for their active civic stance, courage, determination, and active participation in detaining the criminal, and their parents and teachers of the gymnasium for raising the schoolgirls.

Alena Tikhonova – BELTA. Photo by the Investigative Committee Department for the Vitebsk Region.