A brazen bike thief was sent fleeing after a brave owner chased him down when he allegedly tried to steal a motorcycle in broad daylight.
The masked suspect was armed with a metal rod and was repeatedly smashing a lock in an apparent attempt to break it.
The loud banging is believed to have alerted the bike’s owner, who raced across the road to confront the would-be thief.
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The dramatic incident was caught on camera on Monday (15 June), as reported by Need To Know.
It happened on Whiteladies Road in Redland, Bristol, outside an Italian restaurant.
Footage shows the man cautiously crossing the road in an apparent bid to catch the suspect by surprise.
But the masked thief spotted him at the last moment and turned to run, sparking a dramatic chase through the street.
The man in the black T-shirt then broke into a full sprint as he attempted to catch the fleeing suspect.
The video was filmed by a passer-by who witnessed the incident from across the road.
After being shared online, the clip racked up more than 8,000 views.
Viewers were left stunned by the footage.
One person said: “Some SAS s**t the way he was so gently running over at first so the robber couldn’t feel his presence.
“Hope he caught him.”
Another person added: “Starmers UK.”
One other person said: “Hilarious.”
Bristol has previously been named among the worst places in the country for bike thefts, according to Bristol Live.
In 2024, there were 246 reported bike thefts in the city centre alone.
The area ranked sixth out of more than 7,000 neighbourhoods across England and Wales for the total number of bike thefts.
Avon and Somerset Police recorded 2,211 bike theft offences in 2024 – the equivalent of around six bikes being stolen every day.
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