A man has been charged after a police community support officer had his bike stolen while breaking up a game of cricket taking place in defiance of the coronavirus lockdown.
Video footage shows the cricket players laughing at the officer when he came to remind them that we're all supposed to be staying home, maintaining safe social distance and - you know - not playing cricket.
Now, the police have confirmed a 23-year-old man has been charged with a section 4a public order offence for taking a bike without consent following the incident, which took place in Slough on Monday evening.
He will appear at Reading Magistrates Court on 4 June.
During the video, one of the men playing cricket on the field makes off with the PCSO's bike while his friends jeer and shout 'you got robbed' at him.
Most of the men were filming the officer on their smart phones, and one even asked him to 'give a message to the cricket team'.
After a back and forth about where his bike was, the officer told the men: "I don't care, I'm doing the right thing here."
He then added: "Guys, go home, seriously."
The men then appeared to leave the park.
A spokesperson for Thames Valley Police said: "The PCSO approached the males to explain the importance of them adhering to the current restrictions on public gatherings, which have been put in place by the government to save lives and stop the spread of coronavirus.
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"The males, believed to have been aged between late teens and mid-twenties proceeded to argue with the officer, using intimidating and threatening language, and then took the officer's bike.
"The officer called for backup which had been deployed, but the men made off from the scene leaving the PCSO's bike behind."
Superintendent Gavin Wong, who is the local policing commander for Slough, said: "The behaviour displayed against my officer will not be tolerated by Thames Valley Police and we are investigating this incident fully.
"I know the local community will be embarrassed by the actions of a small number of people because the vast majority of people understand what is required and have complied with the rules around coronavirus.
"I am grateful that the PCSO was not injured and he is being supported by the force. He showed professionalism and great constraint during the incident."
Thames Valley Police also confirmed that they returned to the park the following day to find men playing cricket again.
They said: "They attempted to run off but they were detained and issued with fixed penalty notices."
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