Fridge Raider: Runner Mistaken by Police as Fridge Thief

A charity marathon runner hoping to break the Guinness World Record for “fastest marathon while carrying a household appliance” was stopped by Police when they mistook him for a thief.

Daniel Fairbrother, 34, was stopped by officers in Stevenage, UK, while out training with his Beko fridge, named Tallulah after the film Cool Runnings, on his back. The alleged fridge raider said he was on his second training run when he noticed a police car turning around.

“They put their blue lights on, held up the traffic and stopped me to find out what on earth was going on.”

Mr Fairbrother told the BBC although it was “embarrassing” to be pulled over, he didn’t mind at all.

“I would expect the police to do their job and check on someone running about with a fridge. If I got pulled over another ten times I wouldn’t be annoyed.”

The cool runner is hoping to raise £10,000 for Diabetes UK in support of his best friend Sam who is a Type 1 diabetic. The record for the fastest marathon while carrying a household appliance is currently four hours, 52 minutes and 10 seconds.

Mr Fairbrother said Police quickly realised he wasn’t stealing anything and the encounter ended with officers shaking his hand. A Hertfordshire Constabulary spokesman said: “We would like to wish Daniel all the best with training for the marathon”.

Daniel told The Comet he started running two-and-a-half years ago, when he moved house. He said: “There was a gym across the road from where I was staying temporarily. I lived right above a pub, so I thought ‘it’s either the pub or the gym’. I don’t want to be in the pub every night so I chose the gym.”

He added: “Up until the point that I actually started going out with a fridge on my back, I think people thought that I was just joking.

“But then people starting seeing me, and the reaction has been very positive.”

Best of luck for the marathon, Daniel! We’ll be giving you a cheer.

Image credit: Daniel Fairbrother