A BURGLAR tried to escape from pursuing police by swimming across Eastville Park Lake to hide on an island.
Officers on Chad Lambert’s tail sent up a drone to keep track of him using an infrared camera before borrowing a boat to reach the island an arrest him.
Bristol Magistrates’ Court heard that on October 19 at around 1pm, Lambert had entered a shop on nearby Averay Road in Stapleton and was seen acting suspiciously.
An Avon & Somerset police spokesperson said: “When he was challenged by staff, he smashed a window to get behind the counter, picked up a bottle of wine and took the contents of the till.”
Lambert, aged 35, ran into Eastville Park, took off some of his clothes and dropped a bag before running into the lake and swimming to one of the islands in the middle of the water.
Police officers who had chased Lambert on foot followed him to the lake.
The force drone unit was deployed to follow his movements on the island with an infrared camera and officers to him.
They borrowed a boat from Avon Fire and Rescue Service to reach the island and arrest Lambert, of Cobourg Road, Montpelier, who appeared before magistrates two days later.
He pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated burglary and was sentenced to 26 weeks in jail.
Lambert was also ordered to pay £154 in compensation to the shop.
Footage from the drone can be seen on the police website.