Burglar Caught In Queens’

A man was arrested on suspicion of burglary in Queens’ yesterday after students helped stop his daring escape.

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A suspected burglar was caught by students in Queens’ yesterday, after he attempted a daring daylight robbery.

At around 1.30pm on Wednesday Queens’ secretary Sonia McLintock became suspicious when she noticed an unfamilar man prowling around college. When she challenged the man, he scarpered off and she raised the alarm.

The police were called, and began searching the college, asking students if they had seen “a guy in a red coat and carrying a rucksack.”

An artist’s impression of what the suspected burglar might have looked like

Students quickly spotted the suspect and chased him through the college. Gemma Gronland, a 3rd year student, saw the action unfold, telling The Tab: “After seeing the police he ran over the bridge, where a few students and police ran after him.”

The intruder then tried to get out of Queens’ Dockett gate, but a crack team of brave students stepped in and blocked his escape.

Gemma told The Tab that by the time she reached Dockett gate: “the police had got the man on the ground ready to put him in the back of the van.”

The gate the suspect tried to escape over

It’s not yet known if the man stole anything, but he is reportedly well known to the police and thought to be the same man who broke into students’ rooms in Selwyn last weekend.

In an email sent to students this afternoon, the college thanked Ms McLintock, as well as students who helped subdue the suspect and the porters “who assisted the police on entry.”

But Dr James Kelly, Queens’ Senior Tutor and author of the email, warned students that the threat was not over. He reminded students to: “remain vigilant in College and alert the Porters to the presence of any unfamiliar person on the site.”

King’s, Sidney Sussex, Trinity and the Cambridge Union have all suffered burglaries in recent weeks, but it is not yet know if these were related to the suspect apprehended today.