Birmingham police officers on holiday in Barcelona ended an international search for a missing man after recognising him by his Leeds United football shirt. Michael Hewitt, known as "Little Mick," was discovered safe in a bar last month after a chance encounter with two off-duty officers.
Chance meeting in a Barcelona bar
PC Lamb and PC Somers were in a Barcelona bar when they struck up a conversation with Hewitt, 65. Both Hewitt and one of the officers were wearing Leeds United shirts, which sparked a friendly chat. The conversation took a serious turn when the officers later recognised Hewitt as a missing person from social media posts.
Hewitt had been reported missing after his family lost contact with him on June 21. He was supposed to fly from Barcelona to Boston for the FIFA World Cup but never arrived.
Officers act quickly to reunite family
The Birmingham officers immediately informed local authorities and liaised with Spanish police, sharing the information they had in the hope that Hewitt could speak to his family. It emerged that Hewitt was unaware of the search for him, having lost his phone and missed all the online coverage.
His family, who had been desperately searching for him, received the "fantastic news" that he was safe. Gary Hewitt posted on social media: "Fantastic news! Little Mick is safe and well in Barcelona, and was blissfully unaware that the world was searching for him!"
Family's relief and gratitude
Gary Hewitt expressed the family's relief, saying: "As a family, we desperately wanted an embarrassingly simple but happy ending to this horrendous episode, and we now have that." He added: "A million thanks to each and every person who has helped to bring Mick home safely, and for all the good wishes. It's amazing what can be achieved when the good people of the world go Marching On Together."
The officers' actions were praised by Birmingham Police Chief Inspector Sean Corrigan, who said they "helped end an international search." He commented: "The officers' actions demonstrate our values as a police force, as even on holiday they acted quickly to help a potentially vulnerable man in need. By quickly recognising who they'd been speaking to, and immediately informing Spanish authorities, they helped end an international search."
Commendation for going above and beyond
Chief Inspector Corrigan added: "While the man involved may have just been enjoying a holiday himself, we commend our officers for interrupting theirs and going above and beyond." The incident highlights how off-duty police vigilance can have a significant impact, reuniting a family and bringing a missing person home safely.
