Have-a-go heroes halt suspect mugger

FLASHPOINT . . . police arrive on the scene at Rhodes Bank

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A GROUP of college students helped corner a suspected mugger in Oldham town centre who was trying to escape after allegedly stealing £8,000 from a bank customer.

The suspect allegedly hid the cash in his underpants before the teenagers, along with other onlookers, made a citizens' arrest.

They chased the man along Yorkshire Street to Mumps before apprehending him at the corner of Roscoe Street and Rhodes Bank at around 2pm yesterday.

The suspect is said to have approached the victim by Barclays Bank in the town centre, and allegedly knocked him to the ground before taking a bag containing £8,000 and fleeing the scene.

However, the thief hadn't counted on being pursued by four teenage boys, who sprung into action after hearing the victim's shouts for help.

As the suspect ran past, the students, who were on a free period from Oldham Sixth Form College, gave chase.

Despite the man telling them to "stay back" the teenagers continued their pursuit at which point a taxi driver, who witnessed the incident, joined the chase in his car.

As the chase continued, and with more people joining in to help,the man allegedly threw away the bag of cash.

He ran on to Union Street and past the Royal Oak pub towards the junction of Rhodes Bank and Roscoe Street where he ran out of steam.

One of the teenagers is thought to have picked up the cash while the others cornered the man who at this point had collapsed breathless on the corner.

With the suspect surrounded, the police were called and arrested the man. The cash was returned, albeit allegedly £100 lighter.

One of the teenagers, who did not wish to be named, said: "We were near Oldham Leisure Centre when we saw a man wearing a hoodie running past us and as soon as we heard the other man shouting help we just started running after him.

"We chased him down Yorkshire Street and he threw the bag away, one of us picked up the bag and the rest of us kept on running and eventually he got tired and stopped.

"It was dangerous but we did what we thought was best."

Mohammed Naheed was returning to his business in the town centre when he saw the chase and decided to help. He praised the teenagers for their actions.

He said: "The victim is grateful ­- the kids did a great job. The taxi driver also did a good job. He was in a car park and he chased him all the way, he left his family in the town centre to do so."