POLICE have arrested a man they say robbed a woman then ran through a shop window while fleeing the crime scene.

The man alleged stole the 59-year-old woman’s handbag at a Ballajura newsagency between 10am and 10.40am on Easter Sunday. He was running from the shopping centre when he mistook a pane of glass for a door.

He ran through the plate of glass, was cut and fell to the ground.

The dramatic event was captured on The Market Place Shopping Centre's CCTV and shows bystanders going to his aid, unaware of the alleged stealing incident. Another man then appears from the car park, threatens the bystanders to leave the man alone and tries to drag the injured man away.

A heavily-built shopper then appears and puts the offender in a headlock, before he broke free, escaping with another man in a car.

Midland detectives today charged a 36-year-old Cloverdale man after an investigation.

The man was charged with one count of stealing, two counts of stealing a motor vehicle and one count of unlawful damage.

He will appear in the Midland Magistrates Court on Tuesday, April 30.

Inquiries are continuing in relation to the second offender.