A teenager wanted for car theft has been jailed after he was found hiding inside a teddy bear by stunned cops.
Joshua Dobson, 18, became the subject of a police search after stealing a Mitsubishi ASX and not paying for petrol on the same day back in May. However, after attending his address, officers became baffled when they heard a stuffed toy in the house 'breathing'.
Upon examining the bear, they found the suspect "stuffed inside", Manchester Evening News reports. Dobson, from Rochdale, had cut a hole in the toy and somehow managed to fit himself inside the lining in a bizarre bid to dodge arrest.
He later detained and handed a nine month prison sentence during a court appearance last month, police stated. Sharing the extraordinary arrest on Facebook page, GMP Rochdale said: "A wanted car thief who tried using a teddy bear to hide from our neighbourhood cops out looking for him last month has been put behind bars for nine months.
"Joshua Dobson, 18, from the #Spotland area of the town, was sought by us after stealing a car in May and not paying for fuel that same day.
"When we went to arrest him, our officers noticed a large bear breathing in the address before finding Dobson hidden inside!
"He's now stuffed behind bars after being sentenced last week for theft of a motor vehicle, driving while disqualified, and making off from a petrol station without payment."
GMP added on Twitter: "Our neighbourhood task force and divisional tasking team in #Rochdale could bearely believe what they stumbled across last month in search for a wanted man... We certainly had a more than bearable time bringing to justice one of the town's thieves last week!"
Court documents show Dobson, of Airhill Terrace, Rochdale, was sentenced to a total of 32 weeks in prison for a series of offences at Manchester Magistrates' Court last Friday, August 5.
They included theft of the Mitsubishi, valued at £8,500, and its keys, driving whilst disqualified, driving without insurance and making off from a petrol station without payment, on Saturday, May 21 this year.
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