POLICE have praised Malmesbury cabbie Antonni Evans for his help in catching two shoplifters last week.

Mr Evans, who works for cab firm Manor Taxis, stepped in with the location of the crooks' car after police had been called to the Co-op in the High Street last Wednesday night.

Although police found nothing on the man and woman, both from Bristol, they found a stash of stolen goods in the car worth £180.

PC Simon Pope said: "It was thanks to the help of cab drivers from a local firm that we were able to piece all the bits together and prepare a case."

Mr Evans said he was queuing for cigarettes at the Co-op when he first noticed the two behaving suspiciously.

After paying for his cigarettes Mr Evans left the shop and went to the Market Cross to chat to a colleague.

He then noticed the man and woman leave the Co-op with a backpack and get into a car at the Market Cross.

After a couple of minutes the couple got out of the car and went back into the Co-op.

Mr Evans said: "They had been doing this for about an hour, walking in and out of the shop."

Growing increasingly suspicious Mr Evans went back into the Co-op and spoke to the cashier. She phoned the police, who arrived minutes later and arrested the man and woman.

It was then that Mr Evans told police about the crooks' car.