Extraordinary moment jewellery thieves’ escape plan is foiled

This is the moment a pair of bungling jewellery thieves had their escape plan foiled by a woman who stole the keys from their getaway bike parked outside the shop.

The shocked robbers, armed with a wheel wrench and a hammer, tried to snatch them back from the brave woman but gave up before trying to flee.

One of the men was tackled to the floor by an off-duty police officer, but the second man escaped with a number of watches and pieces of jewellery.

Police are now hunting the second man following the robbery in Colchester, Essex yesterday.

Onlooker, Jodie Brown, 22 who caught the failed escape on camera outside Chimes jewellery store, said she felt like she was in a crime documentary.

She said: ‘I was walking past down the street and I saw the commotion happening and pointed the bike out to my other half. 

‘He looked in the direction and noticed the men had masks on so he pulled me away.

‘If you watch television at the moment there have been so many documentaries and stories about moped robberies.

‘So he told me to pull my phone out and start recording just in case something happened

‘And he was right it was just like what we watched on TV a few nights before.

The jewellery thieves had their escape plan foiled by the onlooker who stole the keys from their getaway bike parked outside Chimes in Colchester, Essex 

‘The one thief tried to snatch back the keys from a woman but couldn’t get them back.’ 

One man has been charged with robbery and will appear at Colchester Magistrates Court tomorrow.

An Essex Police spokesman, said: ‘The second man who is being hunted by police was described as wearing a grey coloured tracksuit, black trainers and a white motorcycle helmet. He ran-off in the direction of Scheregate Steps.

‘Anyone with information is asked to contact Colchester CID on 101, quoting incident 503 of July 28.’

Pictured: The bungled burglary took place at Chimes jewellery shop in Colchester, Essex