Police apologise for CCTV mistake

Police investigating a handbag theft from a car have apologised for issuing closed-circuit television images of three innocent people to journalists.

CCTV images of the "suspects" were released to a newspaper in Norfolk.

But it emerged the mechanism operating the time and date on the camera in a Norwich car park recording the two men and a boy was faulty.

"Norfolk Constabulary would like to apologise for supplying inaccurate information," said a police spokesman.

"Police were attempting to trace offenders responsible for theft from a motor vehicle from CCTV images.

"Unfortunately due to an error in the date and time mechanism the wrong images were used.

"We wish to make it clear that the images published of three individuals were not the offenders and are not linked to the crime in anyway. We sincerely apologise to all involved."