Witness helps police arrest suspected thief in Leibnitz

A 63-year-old witness detained a suspected thief after the man stole a mobile phone and wallet from a woman’s handbag at a grocery store in Leibnitz, ORF reported. Police arrested the 59-year-old shortly afterwards on Monday morning.

The theft happened at about 9 a.m. The suspect allegedly took the items unnoticed from the handbag of a 62-year-old customer. When she noticed they were missing and called for help, the man fled.

A 63-year-old Croatian national from the Leibnitz district pursued him and caught up with him a short time later. The witness took the stolen items from the suspect and returned them to the visibly shocked owner.

Police immediately launched a search and spotted the man nearby within a few minutes. Officers stopped and arrested him based on the description provided. During questioning, the suspect confessed.

On the orders of the Graz public prosecutor’s office, he was taken to Graz-Jakomini prison.