Wild West London: Terrifying moment screaming man goes on rampage – trying to rob a tourist, fighting with souvenir sellers and attacking an ambulance car
- A screaming male lashed out at people with his belt in terrifying video footage
- Witness accused him of trying to steal from a man at cash machine and a shop
- Police arrested a 26-year-old for assault and affray after the rampage
Shocking footage shows a man apparently trying to rob a tourist at a cash machine and brawling with souvenir sellers before lashing out with his belt and attacking an ambulance car.
The video, taken on Coventry Street, which links Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square in central London, shows the screaming male lashing out at passers-by and vehicles on October 22.
The incident was filmed by Piotr Koltarz – who said a woman was left with a bleeding hand after the man hit her with his belt.
Bystanders claimed it was 30 minutes before police arrived at the scene and arrested the individual causing chaos.
At the start of the five-minute long footage, the man is seen grabbing a man withdrawing cash from a machine in the Money Exchange shop in Coventry Street, central London
At the start of the five-minute long footage, the man appears to be attempting to rob a tourist withdrawing money from a cash machine in the Money Exchange shop.
He shoves the shorter man who desperately tries to get away, and clutches on to his clothes – until a passer-by notices and yells ‘Excuse me!’ and he lets go.
Then shortly after, the same lone man is filmed taking a red T-shirt from a nearby gift shop.
A souvenir seller notices him as he walks away and launches himself at the man.
His colleagues join in and they brawl with the thief – kicking and punching him.
The man is seen taking a red T-shirt from a nearby gift shop before a crowd of people descend on him, raining down blows
A passer-by intervenes and briefly breaks up the fight. The assailant uses this opportunity to remove his belt and start using it as a weapon.
One of the passers-by tries to restrain the assailant and Londoners can be heard shouting ‘call the police’.
A few moments later, the man returns, seemingly to confront the souvenir seller.
The souvenir sellers throw him against a street bin and the assailant topples across it sending the bin flying.
One of the souvenir sellers also gets savagely hit across the head by someone during the altercation.
When the brawl dissipates, the screaming assailant uses this chance to run down the busy car-filled London street with his belt.
The man seems to repeatedly whip an ambulance car with his belt – as the cameraman pleads ‘call 911’
A spokesperson for Metropolitan Police said a man was arrested for assault on Coventry Street
He seems to repeatedly hit an ambulance car with his belt – as the cameraman pleads ‘call 911’.
The cameraman rushes to safety in a nearby restaurant. From the restaurant window, he films the man running around the street lashing out with his belt.
As another fight ensues between the souvenir sellers and the man, the cameraman says: ‘What an idiot! No police, nothing!’
At the end of the video, police arrive at the scene after 27 minutes of chaos. They arrest the assailant.
A spokesperson for Metropolitan Police said: ‘A man has been arrested for assault.
‘The arrest follows a call to reports of a man assaulting people at 21.33hrs on Tuesday, 22 October on Coventry Street, W1.
‘Officers attended and arrested a 26-year-old-man for assault and affray. He was taken to a central London police station. He was later released under investigation.’