Two British Bobbies Nab Stabbing Suspect

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The New York Sun

A husband and wife duo of British bobbies on vacation were hailed as heroes yesterday for collaring a suspect in a bloody Diamond Row knife attack.


Sergeant Colin Webber and Constable Claire Webber of the Leicestershire Constabulary, England, were standing outside a 47th Street shop debating the merits of pricey jewelry.


“My wife was trying to con me into buying a diamond necklace, actually,” said Mr. Webber, 37.


The Webbers, who joined the constabulary together six-and-a-half years ago, heard the crash of broken glass from a neighboring shop at 1:52 p.m., and then a knife-wielding suspect ran out onto the sidewalk.


“There wasn’t really time to think about it and someone said ‘grab him,’ so I did,” said Mr. Webber, who has ample experience in grappling with suspects.


Mr. Webber said he didn’t see the 3 1 /2-inch folding knife that suspect Abram Sariashvili, 44, held in his hand after allegedly stabbing Arsen Aranbayen, 25, three times in the chest.


Mr. Webber, a husky man who stands 6-foot-2, got the suspect into a headlock and knocked him onto the sidewalk. As the critically injured victim and several bystanders kicked the prone suspect, Constable Webber moved in to fend them off.


“I was in fear for my husband’s life, more than anything,” said Constable Webber, 38.”I was trying to push everybody back as best I could.”


Lenny, a 50-year-old merchant who works on the block and declined to give his last name, saw the fight spill onto the street.


“I heard someone shout ‘he stabbed me, he stabbed me, he stabbed me,’ and [Aranbayen] came running out,” he said. “The blood was all over his shirt on the left side. “The suspect then followed, Lenny said, and was tackled by three or four people who began “pummeling him every which way.”


According to Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly, the stabbing stemmed from a dispute among Russian-speaking diamond merchants. Mr. Aranbayen, who works at the nearby Avianne shop, was visiting a friend behind the counter at Summit Jeweler at 26 W. 47th St. when Mr. Sariashvili walked in. Mr. Sariashvili allegedly displayed a counterfeit watch, and the two men started arguing. Mr. Sariashvili allegedly punched Mr. Aranbayen, who then jumped over the counter. Mr. Sariashvili then stabbed Mr. Aranbayen three times and smashed a countertop mirror over his head before running out of the shop, according to Mr. Kelly.


Mr. Webber suffered a bruise on his forearm but was otherwise unharmed. The Webbers were returning from Las Vegas where they had attended a wedding, and they decided to visit the city on the way home.


Mr. Aranbayen was taken to St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital in critical condition, police said. Mr. Sariashvili, who has two prior arrests for criminal possession of stolen property, was charged with attempted murder, according to police.


“We could certainly use Mr. Webber here,” said Mr. Kelly, as he presented the British bobby with a plaque recognizing his impromptu police work. “He did a great job and we very much appreciate it.”


The New York Sun

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