This is the astonishing moment that a have-a-go hero ran into the road to stop a moped criminal in broad daylight.
The man reacted quickly after two thieves mounted the pavement to take a woman’s handbag as she walked in Islington, North London, before driving off.
He launched himself at one of the thieves, knocking him off the bike and onto the road, before the crook got up and was driven off by his accomplice.
The moped drivers begin by approaching the woman on the pavement and taking her handbag
The thieves speed off into the road (left), where they are stopped by a have-a-go hero (right)
The incident was said to have happened last Sunday on Carnegie Street on the Barnsbury Estate in Islington, a short walk from King’s Cross train station.
It is not yet clear whether the man successfully recovered the handbag. The Metropolitan Police has been contacted for comment by MailOnline today.
More than 8,000 offences were carried out by criminals on mopeds in London last year. The figure is 16 times what is was five years before ago.
Thugs favour the bikes because they are easy to get away on and, if they remove their helmets, police can be reluctant to chase them in case the criminals are hurt.
The have-a-go hero pushes one of the men off the bike (left) and onto the road (right)
The man grapples with the thief on the road on Sunday in Islington, North London
But the thief gets up and back onto the moped (left), before his accomplice drives away (right)
Earlier this month, a teenage trio who stole 103 phones in an 18-day reign of terror and targeted ex-Chancellor George Osborne were finally jailed.
The prosecutor in that case, Paul Fairley, said: ‘Recently, the UK – and London in particular – has seen a huge increase in what is termed ‘moped-enabled crime’ – robberies and thefts for, in the main, mobile phones.
‘The premise is simple. Obtain a stolen moped, or steal it for yourself, dress up in motorcycle clothing which has the effect of providing a very effective disguise, arm yourself if necessary and then drive about looking for mobile phones to steal.
‘They are easy to find, they are expensive and the sell-on price for the thief is significant. These offences are difficult to detect. The offending rate was so high precisely because of the rewards available, and because there was a ready market.’
** Did you see the incident? Please email: mark.duell@mailonline.co.uk **