A recycling crew in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, has been praised by local officials after their quick reporting helped police catch a suspected burglar on February 12, 2026. The workers from SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK were on their morning rounds in the Hampton Close area when they spotted a man in a balaclava jumping over garden fences. Instead of approaching the man, the crew followed their training by calling 999 and keeping him in sight from a safe distance until officers arrived.
According to Southend-on-Sea City Council, police arrived within 20 minutes and arrested a man in his 20s from the local area. He was taken into custody on suspicion of attempted burglary, criminal damage, and drug-related offences. Cabinet members Cllr Martin Terry and Cllr Lydia Hyde said the crew acted as an important set of eyes and ears for the community while performing their routine duties.
James Gatter, the contract manager for the waste company, noted that the team’s vigilance shows how staff can help keep neighbourhoods safe during their daily rounds. The company began its eight-year waste and recycling contract with the city on April 5, 2025. The suspect has since been released on bail while the investigation into the property damage and burglary attempt continues.
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