Donations for murdered PC Andrew Harper who was dragged to his death ‘under burglars’ van’ while on duty soar past £120,000
- More than £120,000 is donated to crowdfund for murdered PC Andrew Harper
- The police officer was responding to reports of a burglary when he was killed
- He died of multiple injuries after he was ‘dragged to his death by a getaway van’
- Ten people between the ages of 13 and 30 arrested on suspicion of his murder
Donations for murdered police officer Andrew Harper who was dragged to his death under a vehicle while responding to a burglary have soared past £120,000.
The fundraising page has been set up by Thames Valley Police Federation to support Pc Harper’s widow, Lissie and his family.
Another fundraising page that Mr Harper himself created to raise money for a run in aid of a children’s charity has also been given more than £16,000.
It was claimed yesterday that the newlywed officer, 28, was following a GPS tracker from a stolen quad bike when he was mown down by a getaway vehicle and dragged to his death.
PC Harper suffered devastating injuries when he was hit while responding to a raid at a Victorian country house in the village of Bradfield Southend, near Reading, Berks, on Thursday.
PC Andrew Harper with his new wife Lissie. He died when he was ‘dragged to his death by a burglary getaway van’ near a traveller site in Reading Road near Burghfield Common, by Reading, on Thursday
The fundraising page has been set up by Thames Valley Police Federation to support Pc Harper’s widow, Lissie
It is thought that the officer was following the tracker when he came across the suspected thieves at a crossroads and left his vehicle to challenge them at around 11.30pm.
Pc Harper, who tied the knot with new wife Lissie just four weeks ago in what relatives have described as a ‘dream wedding’, was due to go on his honeymoon in a few days.
Images show the couple celebrating their wedding at the award-winning Ardington House, a Georgian manor set in gardens and parkland in Oxfordshire.
The heartbroken family of murdered PC Andrew Harper said yesterday ‘we will never recover’ as they paid tribute to the heroic officer.
It came as police chiefs have been urged to award PC Harper with a posthumous bravery medal.
The father of PC Andrew Harper (pictured) has said his family are ‘devastated’ following the death of the newlywed police officer. The newlywed officer was due to go on his honeymoon next week, less than a month after his marriage to Lissie, 28
Forensic teams have been pictured searching the area for clues where he was dragged to his death on Thursday
A handwritten note left by the roadside where he was mown down near Reading, Berkshire, said: ‘Sleep tight sweetheart. See you one day’
A handwritten message saying ‘Sleep tight sweetheart’ was attached to a bouquet of chrysanthemums at the police cordon close to where his life ebbed away.
His distraught mother Deborah yesterday posted a photograph on Facebook of herself with her son at his wedding, with a thin blue line superimposed across the image in support of police officers.
Along with the floral tribute at the roadside, his family left epaulettes in a plastic tub, along with a wedding photograph of him with his bride.
Their message read: ‘We will never recover – our darling Andrew. You will never feel pain of growing old or a broken heart.
Newlywed PC Andrew Harper had married his fiancée Lissie on July 18, and they were due to go on honeymoon together next week
Flowers left at the scene where PC Andrew Harper was tragically killed on Thursday in Sulhamstead, Berkshire, August 17
‘I feel your presence comforting me in my darkest hours and minutes and know there’s enough to share with all those who love and need you right now. Sleep tight sweetheart. See you one day.’
It ended: ‘Forever loving Mum, Phil, Sean and Amelia.’
It emerged that the victim of the burglary had installed a GPS tracker on his quad bike as a precaution because his property was being renovated.
Locals said the homeowner, who the Mail is not naming, had phoned police after looking out of his window to see the bike being driven away. They said he was ‘bearing up’ although his whereabouts were unknown amid concerns for his safety.
Extra security measures are expected to be put in place for the victims, following the tragic death of the newlywed officer, 28, who was due to go on his honeymoon next week.
A police source told MailOnline: ‘The safety and well-being of the victims of the burglary may well be an issue if, as it appears to be at this stage, it was the work of an organised criminal gang.’
‘There is likely to be plans in place to protect the burglary victims and ensure they are not intimidated or threatened by friends or associates’ of the culprits.
Detectives have been granted extra time to question ten men, aged between 13 and 30, who were arrested at the Four Houses Corner caravan park, near Burghfield Common, on suspicion of murder within an hour of PC Harper’s death.
Police officers stand in silence at the scene where Thames Valley Pc Andrew Harper, 28, died
Yesterday police were still searching the travellers site where the arrests were made, three miles from the scene.
A police spokesman said the quad bike had been recovered.
One local said: ‘The guy looked out of the window and saw it disappearing down the road so he called the police, they located it on its tracker.
‘That’s how they met them at the Ufton Lane, I suppose to try and cut them off, but it obviously all went terribly wrong.’
Floral tributes were left to the fallen officer following news of his death. One note said it had been a ‘shockingly sad day’
Thames Valley Police refused to elaborate on reports that PC Harper’s body was struck by another police vehicle.
A spokesman said his injuries were caused when he was caught under the ‘suspect vehicle’. The Independent Office for Police Conduct confirmed that they were not investigating.
Priti Patel pledged the safety of officers would be her ‘first priority’. John Apter, Chair of the Police Federation, said: ‘Officers who have been attacked just for doing their jobs have been let down by the system.’
Grieving officers have laid floral tributes at the scene where their colleague was killed at the junction of Ufton Lane and Lambdens Hill.
Some could be seen embracing, while one wiped away a tear from her cheek.
One tribute, accompanied by an image of Pc Harper smiling with a friend, said: ‘Harps, I am truly gutted. A great cop, a great man, a great friend.
‘There will always be a part of my heart missing now. RIP mate, love you. Chef, Sarah and Harry.’
Thames Valley Chief Constable John Campbell said on Friday that Pc Harper joined as a special constable in 2010 before becoming a police officer a year later, serving in the Roads Policing Proactive Unit based at Abingdon.
Mr Campbell said Pc Harper was a ‘highly regarded, popular member of the team.’
He added: ‘Everybody I’ve spoken to about Andrew talked about the incredible personality he was, what a fantastic police officer, and what a great friend and man he was, and he’ll be sorely missed by everybody.’
Meanwhile, another fundraising page set up by Pc Harper in aid of children suffering with cancer has been flooded with donations.
Home Secretary Priti Patel called for government crackdowns on sentencing those who assault police officers
He made the page with a £500 target for the 20-mile, 200-obstacle Dirty Weekend race in Peterborough in May next year.
But a deluge of donations has now taken the total amount raised to more than £16,000 in aid of Children with Cancer UK.
He had written: ‘Even if only one child benefits then it will be well and truly worth it.’
Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the death of Pc Harper a ‘mindless and brutal’ crime, saying he was ‘shocked and appalled’ by the attack.
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