Video of Bristol thief filmed by bystander as he steals bike

Brilliant bit of work - video evidence of the guy stealing the bike, no question about identifying him on court, only thing might be to call 101howver this might detract from gathering the evidence, and often enough 101 doesn't get answered nyway (not around here that is!).

Had it been my own bike - then I would have known for certain it was a tealeaf and not someone losing his/her key, but still not sure what I would do now I'm in my late sixties (in my teens I did spot someone nicking bits from my bike and had no problem "challenging" him!)

This had made the BBC front page yesterday. No doubt the thief will be identified soon and soundly punished with a suspended sentence (despite a string of convictions) and community service (which they won't do).

I think commonsense - take pictures/film or call the police.

Intervene physically and be sued for GBH or get cloutted by the bolt croppers.

If it was my own bike,  yeah I might have punched the guy and get sued for killing the brittle boned bike thief knowing my luck.

Geez, looking at the comments on here, I'm amazed anyone leaves the house.

Those bolt cutters would work really well at cutting off thumbs.

The thief was already tooled up with bolt cutters, probably got that smackhead desperation too. If you're not a fighter , don't fight. It's a bit like when someone fall in the sea, don't jump in after them unless you're a good swimmer or it'll be two people that need help.

If you're bigger and harder - go for it. If not draw attention to get a crowd and be prepared to do one if scumbag turns nasty.

Guys, if you're ever in this situation and wonder what to do. Take your phone out and shout at the thief, Oi!, That's my bike! I'm calling the cops!

If it's his bike he'll be casual, if not, he'll bolt, most likely.

Wouldn't risk tackling anyone that you don't think you can handle. Most folk massively overestimate their ability in a scrap. Also, he has a weapon. One crack with that and your kids got no dad. Not really worth it.

its difficult, because theres absolutely no need to go all Batman vigilante, but is just politely engaging the guy in conversation whilst filming him the answer either ?

Im not sure, clearly the guy has some front to be stealing the bike during the day on a busy street, but none of the other passers by are paying attention because no-one is drawing any attention to whats happening, and thats the thing I think people are reacting to on this.

it doesnt even sound like the police were at any stage called, the bike was simply reported stolen.

Perhaps if a few more people had helped confront the scummer it would have been a different story but I don't think there are any grounds to question the integrity or well-meaning of the chap filming.

I'm not criticising the person filming, I am more criticising a legal system where people fear intervening in a blatent criminal act for fear of themselves being pursued by the law.

In these situations, the best course of action is probably have been to immediately involve other people, for both practical and psychological advantage.

Someone willing to be filmed blatantly stealing a bike is quite likely willing to smash your face in with a pair of bolt croppers. What would you have done differently?  Punched him?  The guy filming did a lot more than most and handled what must have been a very stressful situation better than I think I would have. 

Why the hell shouldn't he have punched him? Or is that wrong because it involves violence? Is that too primitive?

In what kind of warped society are people afraid of confronting bad acts because they are afraid of getting in trouble?!!? This needs to change. People must not hesitate to do good.

Many years ago I witnessed a couple of scrotes smashing a van window and stealing a radio. Being younger and stupider I gave chase, cornering one in the ticket office of the local bus station. I actually had to get quite aggressive with the ticket staff who initially refused to phone the Police. However after 15 minutes or so the Police did arrive and arrested the scrote.

Having walked back to the scene of the crime with an officer, we met the van driver who was understandably upset about the damage to her van but thanked me for taking some action. I was asked to attend the Police station to give a statement.

Unfortunately the thief I cornered did not have the radio in his possession and was released. I'm pretty sure I spent more time with the Police than he did.

A friend of mine collared a lad vandalising cars. He ended up being threatened with prosecution for assault of a minor.

Would I get involved if I saw this bike theft in progress? Not physically, too much risk of personal injury or the risk of persecution by the authorities if the thief got hurt by my actions. I think this bystander did far more than most. Given the choice of using the phone to call the Police or using it to gather evidence, I think he made the correct decision. In real life the hero doesn't always come out on top.

It's a dangerous world out there ...

Scumbag No.1 uses the boltcutters.
Scumbag No.2 waits in the background, acting as look-out and ready to intervene in defence of Scumbag No.1.

What rubbish camera work!

The traditional British answer to crime or incivilities: film it!

I was faced with this very situation. 2 blokes with bolt cutters at a station. I confronted them, at which point I was threatened, however it drew attention to them and slowed them down before the police came. Not sure it helped a lot, but felt an awful lot better about at least trying to stop it then pretending it wasn't happening. If it was my bike and nobody did anything, I'd be gutted.

Having had a bike stolen, that coont would have had a kick to the jaw and hands broken with his cable cutters.

The biggest scumbag is the camera person. I've intervened in a few attempted bike thefts, people robbing bikes don't like attention. Be loud, vocal and call the police. The wanker filming this doesn't get a face shot, doesn't call the police.

I understand why people passing by may not get involved. They are seeing someone record someone taking bolt cutters to a bike - they may think it is there bike based on that.

However, the person taking the vide should have either called the police or asked a bypasser to do so. Just standing and recoridng, in my view, makes him an accomplice to theft.