By Grant Smith

PEOPLE WHO helped to capture criminals in Tayside were honoured at a reception hosted by First Minister Jack McConnell in Edinburgh Castle yesterday.

The list included a Spanish student who chased after a thief in Perth and held him until police arrived.

Jose Luis Chinestra Colom (23), from Barcelona, is paying a return visit to Scotland with his wife Silvia for the reception.

He was in Perth on January 10 this year when he saw a young woman being robbed after she withdrew money from a cash machine in South Street. In the struggle with her assailant she was pulled to the ground.

The thief grabbed her money and ran off through the shopping centre. Without hesitation, Mr Chinestra Colom gave chase.

He continued the pursuit and eventually detained the man in a nearby car park. Despite the man struggling violently, Mr Chinestra Colom held on to him until police officers arrived at the scene and the man was arrested.

The man later admitted being involved in three other recent serious incidents in the city, including an armed robbery with an imitation handgun. He was jailed for four years.

Tayside Police gave the Spaniard a meritorious conduct certificate as a token of their appreciation. The presentation was made by western division commander Chief Superintendent Matt Hamilton.

Also attending the reception were three people from Arbroath, Mrs Elaine Cargill (50), Mr John Cargill (24) and Mr Gavin Forgie (30).

In the early hours one day in November 2003 Mrs Cargill was disturbed by noises outside her home. She saw a man acting suspiciously by cars parked in the street.

As she alerted her son the man ran off. Mr Cargill got out of bed and went outside to investigate, while Mrs Cargill telephoned the police and gave a detailed description of the man.

Mr Cargill enlisted the help of his brother-in-law, Mr Forgie, and both men carried out a thorough search of the area.

Within minutes, they saw the man trying to break into a house. They challenged him and he ran off again. Undeterred, they gave chase and caught him before handing him over to police officers who arrived at the scene.

As a result of their actions, this incident and a number of others were brought to a successful conclusion. The man was charged with various offences and sentenced to 60 days’ imprisonment.

Two Stonehaven men who went to the aid of an elderly woman whose home was robbed in broad daylight were also honoured, writes Liz Fowler.

Gregg Taylor (23) and Mark Greig (38) were sitting in a works vehicle in the Mearns town one afternoon when they became aware of three men acting suspiciously at the nearby home of an elderly woman.

Two of the men distracted the woman, while an accomplice entered her house and stole her handbag.

Mr Taylor and Mr Greig immediately responded. While Mr Taylor tried to block the escape of the thief carrying the handbag with their works van, Mr Taylor chased him on foot.

They succeeded in catching the thief and managed to retrieve the handbag, but he quickly broke free to escape with his companions.

Three people from Dundee, Mr David Milne (29), Mr Ross Nisbet (21) and Ms Donna Walker (40), were also honoured yesterday.

On a Friday evening in April this year, Ms Walker witnessed the theft of a handbag from a pub in the city’s Reform Street and immediately alerted the door stewards—Mr Milne and Mr Nisbet—who gave chase.

The man threw the handbag to the ground, Mr Nisbet recovered it and Mr Milne continued to pursue the culprit. As Mr Milne caught up with him, the man turned and began to threaten him.

Fearing he may be in possession of a knife, Mr Milne kept his distance until the man got into a taxi. As he was entering the vehicle, Mr Milne used the vehicle door to restrain him and held him there until police officers arrived at the scene.

The man was arrested, charged with various offences and jailed for four months.

Fife couple Keith and Tracey Davidson, of Cluny near Kirkcaldy, were also acknowledged for confronting a serial sex offender they saw committing an indecent act near a children’s play park.