This is the moment a bungling charity box thief is foiled by a passer-by who nonchalantly trips him over.
The hapless thief, who has since been jailed, took the collection box from Subway at Hull Paragon Interchange station.
It was chained to the tills, but 23-year-old Joshua Starkey forcefully pulled it free, causing the cash register to crash to the ground.
Starkey then ran from the shop, with the wires and chains from the British Heart Foundation box dangling behind him.
A passenger walking along the concourse then saw Starkey running with the box and casually stuck out his foot, resulting in the thief crashing to the ground and dropping the box.
He ran from the scene without the charity box. But following an investigation, he was identified and charged with criminal damage and theft.
Starkey, of Hull, admitted the charges at Humber Magistrates’ Court and was jailed for 16 weeks. He has also been jailed for five years for separate offences.
Responding to the theft, which happened on March 25, British Transport Police officer Paul Hobman said on Friday: “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.”
