Police have praised members of the public who detained a man after he punched a young woman as she tried to stop him stealing her belongings.
The student victim was inside a coffee shop in Milton Street, Nottingham city centre, when a man snatched a laptop and a mobile phone from the table she was sitting at.
She was sitting with her sister, whose laptop was also taken by the thief.
The student chased after him and was punched as she tried to stop him in nearby Upper Parliament Street.
Several members of the public intervened and detained the suspect on the ground until officers arrived a short time later.
A 47-year-old man was arrested at the scene and taken into custody.
The victims have now been reunited with the stolen items.
PC Jake Self, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“This was an appalling incident and I’d like to commend the members of the public who assisted officers with this arrest.
“By acting so courageously, they enabled officers to place the man into handcuffs just moments after the offence took place.Â
“Nottingham is a vibrant city to live and visit and we are determined to keep it that way. That is why we will always respond immediately to reports such as this.”
