A MAN has been arrested after reports he was behaving suspiciously in Thornbury High Street.

The man was arrested in Rudgeway after police stopped a bus he was travelling on in Alveston on Tuesday, August 19.

Police were initially called just before 3.50pm to a report of a man behaving suspiciously behind a pub in Thornbury when it was suggested that he was hiding property stolen from local shops.

Officers recovered several items of clothing which have been reported stolen from a store in the town.

A man matching the description was seen getting onto a bus and when officers stopped the vehicle in Alveston one of the passengers ran off.

Neighbourhood PCs Sean White, Lee Bainbridge and Angharad Baynham and PCSO Sean McKinnon were joined in an extensive search of fields and gardens by South Gloucestershire patrol officers, road policing units and a dog handler.

PC White said: “We’re really grateful for all the calls we had from members of the public to tell us they had spotted a man hiding behind bushes and in gardens along the A38 in Alveston, Grovesend and Rudgeway.”

A man was arrested on suspicion of theft shortly after 5pm in Rudgeway. He was later released on police bail pending further enquiries.

Anyone with any information which could help our investigation is asked to get in touch through our website, www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/contact or by calling 101, quoting reference 85530/14.