Shocking moment man, 18, ‘steals a busker’s takings’ in Sydney’s busiest mall – before performer helps restrain him until police arrive and damages his $3,000 guitar in the struggle
- Busker almost had takings stolen by would-be thief in Sydney’s Pitt Street Mall
- Martin Campos, 38, abruptly abandoned his performance to chase after the man
- Chilean student was Facebook livestreaming performance when it unfolded
- Man, 18, arrested at the scene and is speaking with police as inquiries continue
- Mr Campos now feels sorry for the man and doesn’t want charges to be laid
A busker has livestreamed the shocking moment a man allegedly tried to steal his takings while he performed in a busy Sydney shopping precinct.
Martin Campos was entertaining shoppers in Sydney’s Pitt Street Mall shortly after 5pm on Saturday when a man allegedly took off with his basket full of cash.
The Chilean student, 38, had been livestreaming his performance on Facebook when he was forced to abruptly abandon his post to chase the alleged thief.
Busker Martin Campos (pictured) almost had his afternoon earnings stolen on Saturday night
A man, 18 (pictured sitting down), was arrested at the scene and is assisting NSW Police with their inquiries
‘The guy grabbed my case full of notes so I ran after him and luckily, others had seen what happened and managed to catch him,’ Mr Campos told Daily Mail Australia.
‘At first I was angry but afterwards, I just felt sorry for the guy.’
With Mr Campos’ help, the Good Samaritans who intervened managed to restrain the man on the ground until police arrived.
The attempted theft in Pitt Street Mall was captured by the busker on Facebook livestream
The livestream video doesn’t show the man being caught but captures many shocked bystanders watching the incident unfold with several running in to assist, including a security guard from a nearby store.
Music continues to play on the livestream video for several minutes until an angry-looking Mr Campos returns on screen with his takings.
The end of the video shows the alleged thief sitting on the ground while being detained and doesn’t look happy about appearing on camera.
The incident was witnessed by a Daily Mail Australia staffer.
‘Look at this motherf****r who stole from me,’ Mr Campos tells viewers.
‘This isn’t the first time.’
Mr Campos’ guitar was broken while he was restraining the man but he at least managed to get his takings back
One of the strings on Mr Campos’ beloved $3000 guitar was damaged while he was restraining the man.
The full-time busker, who has lived in Australia for three years, is devastated about his broken guitar but is grateful his hard-earned takings from the afternoon were returned to him.
He said working as a busker isn’t easy.
Mr Campos packs up his things after an eventful day but plans to back on Sunday. ‘I need to get my guitar fixed but I will borrow someone’s else if I have to,’ he told Daily Mail Australia
‘It’s not the first time this (stealing) has happened and it’s something all buskers are worried about,’ Mr Campos said.
‘This is our job. We all work really hard to pay rent and earn a living. I’m also paying for a visa to stay here and go to school. Buskers have to invest a lot of money, it’s not easy work.’
Mr Campos spends every weekend at Pitt Street Mall and despite Saturday night’s ordeal he hopes to back there on Sunday.
‘I need to get my guitar fixed, but I will borrow someone’s else if I have to,’ he said.
Martin Campos will be familiar with many weekend shoppers in Sydney’s Pitt Street Mall
Mr Campos said he did not want charges laid against the man, who he believed had fallen on tough times.
‘I don’t want to bring him any more problems,’ he told Daily Mail Australia.
‘If he wanted money, all he had to ask and I would have loaned or given him some. If I could say one thing to him, it would be that’s not the way to make money. If I could ask one question, I would ask, why.’
A NSW Police spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia an 18-year-old man was arrested at the scene and taken to Sydney City Police Station, where he was speaking with police.
‘Inquiries are continuing,’ the spokeswoman said.
Mr Campos (left) doesn’t want charges laid against the man who tried to steal from him