Police halted a flight on the tarmac at Heathrow Airport just before it took off and arrested a man on suspicion of child abduction of a young girl.
Nottingham police received a report that a man had taken a four-year-old child without his mother’s consent on Thursday afternoon, and was arrested on a flight heading to Bucharest.
Police used intelligence and number plate recognition cameras to track the mans car to London, Heathrow and used border checks to find the suspect was booked on the flight to Bucharest.
Detective Sergeant Ruth Walker, who is leading the investigation said, “When the report came in it was a race against the clock to find them.”
Det Sgt Walker added, “The plane was taxiing ready for take-off, but we were able to get there just in time before it took flight. The plane then returned to the terminal and the man was arrested.
“This was a hugely complex and challenging case, with its obvious pressures.”
A 32-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of child abuduction, and the girl was known to the man.
The man is on police bail with conditions whilst further enquiries take place.
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