Police team nominated for national bravery award for taking down Northampton bomb hoaxer

Armed officers tackled male wearing rucksack and pretending to hold detonator at Weston Favell
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

A squad of police officers are in the running for a national bravery award for dealing with a hoax suicide bomber in Northampton.

Staff at Weston Favell Police Station noticed a man outside wearing a rucksack on his chest and pretending to hold a detonator minutes after a 999 call from a male claiming he had a bomb.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Armed police calmed the hoaxer before tricking him into coming forward and overpowering him.

Armed officers overpower Thanki (right) who called 999 claiming to have a bomb outside a Northampton police stationArmed officers overpower Thanki (right) who called 999 claiming to have a bomb outside a Northampton police station
Armed officers overpower Thanki (right) who called 999 claiming to have a bomb outside a Northampton police station

It was only later that experts confirmed the bag — which the hoaxer claimed contained nitroglycerine — did not pose a risk.

Bravery awards are organised annually by the National Police Federation.

Northamptonshire Federation chair Sam Dobbs said: “All officers go on duty never knowing what they will be sent to help with — it’s one of the attractions of our vocation.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Armed officers always know that the dimension of their work will bring them face to face with life-threatening situations like this one. They are rigorously selected and trained but the judgment on whether and when to use the lethal option takes courage, often accompanied by fear.

“This incident came so close to the trigger being pulled, something I know haunts the officers.

“They wholly deserve this thanks and recognition because true courage knows fear and allows unarmed officers and the public the relative safety we enjoy.”

Jayesh Thanki was jailed for three years in July 2021 after pleading guilty to making a bomb threat and a call conveying false information under the Malicious Communications Act.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Northampton Crown Court heard Thanki, from Northampton, dialled 999 claiming he was taking an explosive device to Weston Favell and blaming police for him being evicted.

Read More
WATCH dramatic moment armed police swoop on Northampton bomb hoaxer

He yelled at the control room call handler: “I’ve got a bomb in my bag... bomb, B-O-M-B, a bomb!”

Video from body cameras worn by armed officers who tackled the 46-year-old showed how they calmly tackled the situation by offering a cigarette.

Winners will be announced at a ceremony tonight.

Last year, Sergeant Dave Cayton received one of seven regional federation bravery awards for rescuing an elderly Northamptonshire couple by taking down a man armed with a knife and a gun despite being shot in the head.