A pair of jewellery thieves had their escape plan foiled by an onlooker who nicked the keys from their getaway bike parked outside the store.

The robbers, armed with a wheel wrench and a hammer, tried to snatch back the keys from the brave woman but gave up and tried to run off.

One of the men was tackled by an off duty police officer while the second man escaped with watches and jewellery.

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A woman grabbed hold of the keys to the motorbike then ran away with them (Picture: SWNS)

She foiled their escape after they raided a jewellery shop in Colchester (Picture: SWNS)

Police are now hunting the second man following the robbery in Colchester Town Centre on Saturday.


Jodie Brown, 22 who caught the failed escape on camera outside Chimes jewellery store in Colchester, Essex, said she felt like she was in a crime documentary.

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She said: ‘I was walking past down the street and I saw the commotion happening and pointed the bike out to my other half.



‘He looked in the direction and noticed the med had masks on so he pulled me away.

‘If you watch television at the moment there has been so many documentaries and stories about moped robberies.

The robbers, armed with a wheel wrench and a hammer, tried to snatch back the keys from the brave woman but gave up and tried to run off (Picture: SWNS)

Police are now hunting the second man following the robbery in Colchester Town Centre on Saturday (Picture: SWNS)

One was tackled to the ground by an off-duty police officer and a chef on his way to work (Picture: SWNS)

‘So he told me to pull my phone out and start recording just in case something happened. And we was right it was just like what we watched on TV a few nights before.

‘The one thief tried to snatch back the keys from a woman but couldn’t get them back.’

One was tackled to the ground by an off-duty police officer and a chef on his way to work.

One man has been charged with robbery and will appear at Colchester Magistrates’ Court today.

An Essex Police spokesman, said: ‘The second man who is being hunted by police was described as wearing a grey coloured tracksuit, black trainers and a white motorcycle helmet ran-off in the direction of Scheregate Steps.

‘Anyone with information is asked to contact Colchester CID on 101, quoting incident 503 of July 28.’