HUMAN CCTV COP BUSTS 130 CRIMINALS
Meet the human CCTV: a PCSO with a memory for faces so sharp he has apprehended more than 130 suspects in the last year alone with his eagle eyed talents. Community officer Andy Pope has been dubbed West Midlands Police's 'Memory Man' for his astonishing ability to spot criminals simply by memorising their faces. He spends hours every week poring over stills taken from CCTV and images from police briefing systems before hitting the streets of Birmingham to seek out troublemakers. So far, Andy's unique crime-tackling technique has led to the arrest and conviction of thieves, sex offenders and people wanted for violent crimes. In one remarkable case he even recognised a serial robber who walked past him in the city centre a whole year after his image had appeared on BBC's Crimewatch programme. The 34-year-old, who works with the Safer Travel team policing public transport routes, is now to be honoured with an award for police staff member of the year. Andy said: "With Safer Travel I spend a lot of time in Birmingham and on arterial routes into the centre. A lot of offenders do pass through city at some point and, when they do, I want to be able to recognise them.
Other great stories
CHEEKY BABY ORANGUTAN
CLIMBING, falling and tugging on his weary mum, this little orangutan is up to all kinds of trouble .
10-MONTH-OLD SON SUFFERED BURNS TO 35% OF HIS BODY AFTER KNOCKING SCALDING POT OF WATER OVER HIMSELF AT NURSERY
Giancarlo pictured at home during his recovery, wearing his compression garments - A mother-of-three has revealed how her 10-month-old son was severely burnt at nursery .
ADORABLE EXOTIC KITTENS AT NASHVILLE ZOO
A BUMPER season of births has left zoo with three of the cutest exotic kittens you're likely to see .
WORLD'S MOST LIFELIKE DISNEY PRINCESS IS CALIFORNIAN MAN
Meet the world's most lifelike Disney princess - a 21-year-old man from California .
JUSTIN BIEBER FAN LOSES 7 STONE TO BE HIS 'GIRLFRIEND'
Bryanna Debinder, 20, from Pennsylvania in the USA, has lost 7 stone in order to impress her idol .
WOMAN OVERCOMES THIGH GAP OBSESSION AND BEATS ANOREXIA
A university graduate who was obsessed with achieving a thigh gap has told how she shrunk to just 6st after developing anorexia athletica .
MOUSE A-DOR'S SPRING
The sun is finally out, bringing a smile to many people’s faces – including this cute little dormouse’s! Grinning from ear to ear, this tiny dormouse appears to have been tickled by something as it clambered up this flower, basking in the sunshine, whilst having a little laugh to himself .
BRIT DESIGNER PUTS INK-REDIBLE PEN ON MARKET FOR £27K
A British jewellery designer with a passion for London's iconic Gherkin has created a pen with an INK-REDIBLE price tag of £27,500 .
I WON'T GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT MY STAB VEST, SAYS ATTACK VICTIM
A man who was stabbed ten times in a frenzied and random attack has told how, two years on, he is too scared to leave his house without his STAB VEST .
GRANDMA IS CHATTED UP BY TOYBOYS AFTER LOSING 12 STONE
A grandma who lost almost 12 stone after undergoing a gastric bypass has revealed that she now gets chatted up by men half her age .
HUBBY SAVED ME FROM BEING MAULED BY NEIGHBOUR’S FRIEND WHO TORE CHUNK OUT OF MY CHEEK AND LEFT ME SCARRED FOR LIFE
A mother-of-one has revealed how a neighbour’s friend ‘mauled’ her face, leaving her scarred for life .
REAL LIFE ANIME GIRL
Meet the real life anime girl who looks like a living cartoon character despite never going under the knife .