Lee Mapstone, pictured, has been arrested after going on the run from police in September and taunting them with pictures, including of him opening an advent calendar
A brazen fugitive on the run since September has been arrested after taunting police with Christmas cards and pictures of his ‘holiday snaps’ in London tourist spots.
Lee Mapstone, 36, was detained days after he sent officers a personalised Christmas Card and posted photos of him opening an Advent Calendar on his Facebook page.
Mapstone appeared on national television and claimed he will spend Christmas ‘as a free man’ a day before he was arrested in his home town of Swindon, Wiltshire on Wednesday.
This came after Mapstone’s festive card made the front page of his local paper as he continued to goad cops with daily pictures of him opening an Advent Calendar.
The fugitive, who was wanted him over kidnap and robbery offences, sent his festive letter to the inspector who appealed for witnesses to help catch him saying he was ‘100 per cent confident’ he would spend Christmas on the run.
He had also revealed plans to visit France and prison mates in Manchester when he started posting daily photos of him opening his Advent Calendar at midnight on December 1.
Friends and family cheered him on but Steven Mapstone, thought to be his brother, last night wrote on Facebook: ‘Just letting everyone know he got arrested tonight he had his fun and all he’s ever wanted was to have his face on tv and he made it.
‘It was all fun well it lasted 3upmydad f*** the scummy piggy c**** love u dad’
Mapstone, who was also wanted on recall to prison for breaching his licence for grievous bodily harm and burglary two years ago, wrote to officers in the card: ‘I hope you have a very Merry Christmas because I certainly will be, mate, anyways, got things to do. From ya pal Lee Mapstone.’
Mapstone, left, also sent police Christmas cards saying he was ‘100 per cent confident’ he would remain on the run on the big day
Some of the cards included holiday pictures and told officers he would be having a Merry Christmas, hinting they would not catch him
He enclosed a postcard with photos of London tourist spots to Gablecross Police Station and added: ‘I hope you lot are having a great time because I’m having a great time in London. Love Lee Mapstone.’
The bearded fugitive has also posted selfies of himself in the WWE wrestler John Cena’s ‘can’t see me’ pose by covering his face with a single hand and him holding up a £6 Thorntons Advent Calendar on his Facebook page.
He said: ‘It’s because I want them to know that I am having a great time and hope they are to looking for me .
‘They are putting me down as dangerous and I can walk past officers in London and they don’t bat an eyelid at me – how I just don’t know.’
He said he would post daily pictures of him opening his advent calendar because he was ‘100 per cent confident’ he will enjoy Christmas out of prison for the first time in five years.
Mapstone said: ‘I want them to know I ain’t coming to hand myself in any time soon they are going to have to up their game.
‘With how they’ve been so far I’m 100 per cent confident that I can get through this Christmas.
Mapstone also taunted officers by posting pictures of police stations on his Facebook page while on the run in London
He also took pictures of police officers on bikes and uploaded them to social media
‘I feel f****** great that I am having fun with them and life’s good at the moment.
‘I’ve been partying hard go out clubbing been back to Swindon a threw times just doing day to day things.
‘I thought it would get hard as my face been all over papers but it hasn’t, it’s been, great.
‘To walk round like I ain’t wanted it’s f****** great, f*** the police, fat lazy c**** are keep doing what I am doing on the run.
‘I’m hoping to go and visit the France as I have said bro and will b (sic) moving up north any time soon.’
Last month he taunted police by posting his holiday snaps of Buckingham Palace, Oxford Circus and China Town in London.
He even took a photo outside London’s Paddington Green Police Station and said: ‘Was going to hand myself in but had change of heart.’
Mapstone mocked Wiltshire Police by saying they were ‘s*** at hide and seek’.
He branded police ‘fat and lazy’ as he continued to take pictures of them in London, left, and posted more Christmas cards to them, right
Mapstone also shared stories about his exploits on social media as he continued to avoid capture
Wiltshire Police admitted intelligence showed he ‘may now be in London’ as he remains on the run for kidnap and robbery offences since September 25.
But he has now been posting photos of London landmarks and Met Police officers for since late October.
On November 10 he posted a photo of the front of Paddington Green Police Station and said: ‘Was going to hand my self in but had change of heart see u later boys’.
Five days later Mapstone shared a snap of six uniformed officers standing next to marked motorbikes saying ‘all they do is eat doughnuts and drink coffee’.
Later that day he shared a picture of an armed police officer he called ‘a barbie girl’.
Friends encouraged him on as he they called him ‘soppy’ for posting holiday snaps of Christmas lights near Oxford Street the following evening.
Mapstone posted pictures of famous London landmarks including Oxford Street, left, and The Ritz, right
He has shared links to news stories about him mocking police telling his followers: ‘They are s*** at hide and seek I will keep running lol. It’s all fun and games for me lol.’
Under a picture of China Town, he said: ‘Avin a great time in London this is China town wicked place love it. Being on the run seeing all this safe bro.’
Wiltshire Police appealed for witnesses to help trace Mapstone in October.
A spokesman at the time said: ‘Our inquiries are continuing in to information we have received, including intelligence from Facebook, that Lee Mapstone may now be in London.
‘We are renewing our appeal for anyone who knows the whereabouts of Lee Mapstone to contact us immediately.
‘If you do see him please do not approach him, instead call 999 immediately and give his exact location, description of clothing and any items he may be carrying.’
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