CCTV captures moment a hapless thief was foiled by man on his way to buy a sausage roll from Greggs

This is the moment a Yorkshire man tripped a hapless thief stealing from charity as he walked to buy a sausage roll.

Joshua Starkey, Salthouse Lane, Hull, walked into Subway in Hull Paragon Interchange on March 25 this year and grabbed a British Heart Foundation charity collection box, snapping a chain it was secured with and making off.

But as Starkey, 23, was running from the scene Jerome Denton was on to Greggs before work when he spotted the thief running with collection box in hand – so he stuck out his foot flooring Starkey and salvaging the collection box.

Mr Denton told the Hull Daily Mail: “I was working at Gravity at the time and I arrived in town 20 minutes before my shift.

“I thought to kill some time I would go and get a sausage roll or a Subway salad so I was walking through the station and I just saw him running at me.”

He added: “I tripped him over and he went flying and then when he tried to grab the charity box again, I stomped at him like a pigeon and gave him a good chastising. I said: ‘You don’t steal from charity’.

“I picked up the box and gave it back to the Subway lady who ran after him. I then felt super awkward going into Subway so I went to Greggs and bought a sausage roll but I could barely grab my change because I had an adrenaline rush.

“As I left people were clapping and shaking my hand. It felt like Chariots of Fire should have been playing.”

On November 19 Starkey was jailed for 16-weeks after appearing at Hull Magistrates’ Court where he admitted criminal damage and theft from a shop.

PC Paul Hobman, from BTP, said: “A huge congratulations are in order for the courageous member of the public who quite literally stepped in to prevent Starkey from stealing money which was intended for a good cause.

“Starkey’s actions in attempting to steal a charity collection box were disgraceful and I am pleased the judge imposed a prison sentence. I hope that his days of offending are behind him.”

Starkey was also ordered to pay £85 costs.