'Own photo' suspect is arrested

A burglary suspect who allegedly sent a photo to a newspaper because he disliked the mugshot police had issued of him has been arrested, say police.

Matthew Maynard, 24, of Swansea, sent in a photo picturing him in front of a police van after his photo appeared in the city's Evening Post last week.

South Wales Police had issued his photo with seven others as part of a campaign to track down crime suspects.

A police spokesman said Mr Maynard is now in their custody.

"South Wales Police in Swansea investigating the whereabouts of Matthew Maynard arrested a 24-year-old male on Woodfield Street, Morriston on Wednesday November 11," the spokesman said.

"The man is currently in custody at Swansea Central police station."

Mobile phone

Mr Maynard was wanted by police in connection with a burglary in the Mount Pleasant area of Swansea in September.

Staff at the city's paper were bemused when they received a telephone call from Mr Maynard at the start of last week in which he claimed he did not like his mugshot and would send in one of his own.

A spokesman for the newspaper then said: "We just didn't believe that he would do it."

But a picture later arrived by mobile phone, apparently showing Mr Maynard standing in front of a police van.

That picture then appeared on the newspaper's front page, and went on to attract interest from national UK newspapers.

Police at the time dismissed the stunt and predicted they would catch Mr Maynard far more quickly.