Southam Police

21/05/2026

A Stratford Sergeant who saved lots of lives by charging a petrol-soaked man and wrestling a lighter from him has been nominated for a bravery award.

Residents will know Sergeant Charlie Thompson, his PCs and PCSOs for their work in the town, tackling community issues and patrolling the area.

But April 10th last year would prove to be anything but a normal day for the team.

A man in crisis entered the Tesco petrol station, poured petrol over himself and the petrol pumps, then threatened to set himself on fire.

Staff and the public fled and a cordon was quickly set up.

But when forecourt staff were unable to confirm they had isolated the pumps, it became clear that many people could be at risk if the situation got worse.

While colleagues and other emergency services put all the necessary plans in place, Charlie stayed on the forecourt just close enough to speak with the man.

Despite his life being at risk, he stayed calm and professional, doing his best to build a rapport with the man.

Police negotiators arrived to assist but, with the man’s state clearly deteriorating, it was decided that the risk was just too high to try and action had to be taken.

As part of a pre-agreed plan, Charlie gradually reduced the distance between him and the man, giving him a chance to take him by surprise when the negotiators gave a signal.

Then, without hesitation, Charlie sprinted at the man, closing the gap almost instantly.

He tackled him to the ground, safely took control of him and wrestled away the lighter.

Colleagues ran to assist and firefighters closed the gap and began dousing Charlie and the man with fire extinguishers to reduce the level of injury in case the petrol caught fire.

The man was taken safely into custody, where the right support could be put in place and, except for a uniform stinking of petrol and a few bruises, Charlie was unscathed.

Colleagues praised Charlie’s bravery, professionalism and calmness under pressure.

And Charlie has now been nominated for a prestigious national police bravery award.

He will join more than 100 officers from across the country in the prestigious Police Federation ceremony in London this July.

Andy Morrissey, Warwickshire Police Federation Vice Chair, said: "Charlie showed all the skills of policing in one job.

"As a supervisor he took charge, yet still put himself forward and in harm's way.

"He led from the front, despite being aware of the risk, the petrol, the lighter and the fact the forecourt had not been isolated.

"Despite all this he took on great personal risk over a period of time to stop a very dangerous situation turning into a catastrophe.

"This showed bravery, leadership and the human nature to speak to a person in dangerous crisis."

Acting Chief Constable David Gardner said: "Charlie’s actions exemplify the very best of policing. In putting himself in harm’s way to protect others, Charlie demonstrated exceptional courage, professionalism and selflessness.

"Being put forward for a national police bravery award is a good recognition of that commitment, and I know I speak for the whole force when I say how immensely proud we are of Charlie and the values he represents.”

15/05/2026

👮‍♂️ Community Engagement at the School Fete 🎉

Officers from Southam and Wellesbourne Police had a great time attending the recent school fete in the community at Long Itchington.

It was fantastic to meet so many families, speak with local residents, and engage with children who were keen to learn more about policing. From trying on kit to sitting in the police vehicle, there were plenty of smiles all round!

Events like this are a great opportunity for us to connect with the community we serve and build positive relationships.

Thank you to everyone who came along – we look forward to seeing you again soon!

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05/05/2026

03/05/2026

✅ You Asked, We Did ✅

🚨After receiving a report from the community about an abandoned vehicle on Welsh Road, PCSO Cowley spent his morning arranging for the vehicle to be recovered, removing the obstruction and improving safety for road users.

A big thank you to the community for your ongoing support and for sharing information with us - it truly makes a difference and helps us to target our activity most effectively 🚔

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01/05/2026

You will have likely seen in the news last night that the UK terrorist threat level has been raised to SEVERE – meaning an attack is highly likely.

For you, the public, this means remaining alert but not alarmed. Within Warwickshire, we will continue to work, day and night, to keep you safe.

Our officers will continue to be out and about in our communities, please come and talk to one of them if you have concerns.

If you see anything that doesn’t feel right report via gov.uk/ACT.

In an emergency always call 999.

26/04/2026

A lively day at the Ultimate BMW 2026 event 🚓

Officers from Wellesbourne Police, Southam Police and Stratford Police were pleased to attend today’s Ultimate BMW 2026 meet at British Motor Museum, which brought together a fantastic crowd and plenty of positive engagement with car enthusiasts of all ages.

It was great to see so many people enjoying the day responsibly, speaking with our team, and helping to keep the atmosphere and the surrounding roads friendly and safe.

Unfortunately, towards the end of the event one male was issued a Section 59 warning notice under the Police Reform Act after performing donuts in the car park as he left. This type of behaviour puts others at risk and won’t be tolerated. Thank you to the hard-working staff at the Motor Museum for bringing this to our attention.

We want to thank the majority of attendees who contributed to a safe and enjoyable event and we look forward to engaging with you at future events.

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24/04/2026

Thank you to everyone who shared our appeal to locate 15-year-old George who went missing from Bascote. He has been found safe and well.

24/04/2026

Tackling Anti‑Social Behaviour in Our Community:

Anti‑social behaviour is one of the community priorities you told us matters most, and it has been a key focus for Southam Police this quarter.

Over the past week, PC Rankin was joined by PC Lund from the Neighbourhood Engagement Team, to deliver school assemblies at Southam College, engaging with around 900 children across different year groups. These sessions focused on the impact of anti‑social behaviour, personal responsibility, and how actions can affect both individuals and the wider community.

We have also seen a concerning trend over the Easter holidays involving young people entering and causing damage to abandoned buildings or business premises, with some incidents involving fire‑setting. We spoke about how these activities are extremely dangerous, can lead to serious injury, and may result in criminal consequences.

We would ask parents and guardians to please be aware of where children are spending their time, to speak with them about safe and appropriate behaviour when playing out, and to help prevent offences while keeping young people safe from harm.

We will continue working closely with schools, partners, and residents to address ASB and provide early intervention where needed.

Please continue to report concerns so we can take action.

10/04/2026

Over the last week we've seen a worrying increase in courier fraud, a type of fraud that involves scammers targeting elderly and vulnerable people in Warwickshire.

Please take a look at the information in the video below and spread the word to friends and family, particularly those who are elderly or vulnerable.

09/04/2026

24/03/2026

Were you on or near the zebra crossing on Welsh Road in Southam around 3.20pm on Wednesday 11 March?

The driver of a light-coloured car (possibly a Golf or Astra) is understood to have collided with a schoolchild. They parked up and spoke to the child but then drove away.

We'd like to hear from the driver, anyone who witnessed the collision and can help us identify the vehicle or who has dashcam footage.

If you have information, please email [email protected] quoting collision reference 1720075.