To catch a fugitive, the first key tactic is an early start - and this is why the Metropolitan Police 's west London Fugitive Unit start their shifts at 7am or earlier.
Thursday (June 23) was just any other day for the small team based at Uxbridge Police Station, as the rest of the country went to the polls in the EU Referendum .
Detective Sergeant Andy Dawson led the team of four on the hunt for missing potential offenders for crimes from breaching restraining orders to failing to turn up in court.
But these suspects had one thing in common: they were all firmly on the radar of DS Dawson, PC Abby Curtis and two special constables, Alice Vernham and Leanne Page.
A hostile reception
First on the hit list was a 22-year-old man from Ruislip who had breached the conditions of his restraining order when he allegedly harassed his ex-girlfriend.
The 9am door knock was not welcomed by the man's family, who were immediately hostile to DS Dawson's unit, but the officers were invited in to look around the property nonetheless
The search proved fruitless, however.
Unperturbed by the angry response, force veteran of more than 20 years DS Dawson said the team would return to the Ruislip street another day to question neighbours in the hopes of making an arrest.
Next up was an address in Hayes for another alleged breach of restraining order.
'SORT YOUR LIFE OUT'
A 35-year-old man was wanted after he was believed to have messaged an ex-partner online, saying 'SORT YOUR LIFE OUT' after being ordered not to contact her.
Unfortunately for the Fugitive Unit, the offender was at work rather than the Hayes address the officers attended.
But there was a stroke of good fortune when a family member handed over the man's mobile number and DS Dawson was able to speak to the suspect and encourage him to hand himself in to police.
Spurred on by a relative success, the team moved on to a man wanted for failing to hand himself in to police at the end of his bail to be charged.
'He doesn't live here'
The 36-year-old was believed to have attempted to have shoplifted four tubs powdered milk from the Morrisons supermarket in Yiewsley High Street.
But DS Dawson's luck had not lasted, and the occupants at the address said they did not know the suspect.
A 15-year-old teen from Cowley also made the list after he failed to appear at court for a public order offence.
The young lad was not at home, however, and a family member explained that he had fallen ill on the way to court, so was unable to attend.
While the family member said she would bring the youth to the nearest station within a matter of hours, a search of the teen's regular haunts yielded no results in what was proving to be a frustrating shift for the team.
But refusing to be disheartened by a lack arrests, there was one more stop for Uxbridge's finest.
Nobody home
Yet again, though, the team's hard work was thwarted as they searched for an 18-year-old man from Harefield who had failed to appear in court after being charged with possession of cannabis.
They were greeted at the property by nothing an apparently rampaging dog and wide-open upstairs windows.
With no one home, or at least no one willing to answer, the Fugitive Unit trudged back to the station to debrief and polish off the necessary paperwor
k.
There were no arrests during the course of the damp west London shift, but DS Dawson was not entirely disappointed with the day's work.
After racking up around eight arrests already in the week, he was confident the groundwork had been laid for success in the very near future.
'Be warned'
DS Dawson issued a stark warning to any offenders trying to hide from his unit: "My message to those offenders that know that they are wanted is simple: if you know that you are wanted by the police then do the right thing and hand yourself in at your nearest police station, otherwise Hillingdon police will find you and you can expect a 5 o'clock knock.
“The Fugitive Team are specialist officers who are dedicated to tracking down and arresting persons who are wanted for various crimes. They will leave no stone unturned.
“If anybody knowingly assists a person who is wanted they may also be liable to be arrested. If you are that person, be warned.
“We are coming for you.”
