Hastings PC commended after tackling two armed robbers in Bexhill

A police officer from Hastings is due to be awarded for his bravery after single-handedly tackling two armed robbers in Bexhill.
PC Greg MontierPC Greg Montier
PC Greg Montier

PC Greg Montier helped bring two phone thieves to justice by bringing down one and holding him while being threatened with a hammer and a spanner.

The officer has been nominated for a Police Bravery Award and received a Chief Constable’s commendation for his courage.

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While off duty on January 7, 2015, PC Montier was driving along Buxton Drive when he saw two men standing over another man lying in the road.

One of the men kicked him and the officer heard him on the floor shouting for help.

PC Montier shouted at the two offenders to stop but they ran off.

He went to check on the man lying on the floor and while the victim seemed shaken, was not seriously hurt.

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PC Montier – who had just one year in service - then saw the suspects had stopped running and were walking away so he chased after them and rugby tackled one of them to the floor.

The man immediately started struggling violently but the officer managed to pin him against a car.

As the officer was struggling with the offender, he asked the victim to call the police, unaware his mobile phone had been stolen, so the officer told him to knock on doors and get someone to phone 999.

The second offender then returned and was a matter of feet away when he suddenly raised his hand and threatened him with a claw hammer unless he let his fellow offender go.

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Despite this, the officer kept hold of the man he was wrestling with and tried to use him as a shield, while shouting for the armed man to stay away.

The struggle continued and the officer suddenly saw the man he was holding had a 12” spanner in his right hand and it seemed like he was going to hit him with it too.

Oddly, the hammer man then shouted to his accomplice to give the victim back his phone, which he pulled out of his pocket and the victim snatched it back.

By this time, the officer had been struggling with the offender for several minutes, was running out of strength to hold onto him, and was in constant fear he was going to be hit by one or both of the offenders with either the spanner or hammer.

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Eventually the man managed to break free and both robbers ran off with PC Montier unable to catch them due to his exhaustion, but both men were identified by the victim and brought to justice.

Chairman of Sussex Police Federation Matt Webb said: “PC Montier demonstrated real bravery.

“Despite having no support available to him, he was willing to put himself in danger to protect members of the public and tackled the offenders face to face.”

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PC Montier will be recognised at the 21st Police Bravery Awards on July 14. The awards honour police officers who performed outstanding acts of bravery while on or off duty, and are sponsored by Police Mutual.

Police Mutual chief executive Stephen Mann said: “This year marks the 21st anniversary of the Police Bravery Awards and the eighth consecutive year that Police Mutual has sponsored them.

“We are proud to continue our support for such an inspirational event in the policing calendar and to be able to show our respect for the exceptional courage shown by police officers who risk their lives every day to protect the public.”

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