This is the incredible moment a "hero" wearing a tuxedo chased down and caught a brazen phone thief on the streets of central London.

The spruced up "dude in a suit" sprang into action in High Holborn on Wednesday afternoon after a cyclist snatched a woman’s mobile phone.

Wearing a double breasted two piece and bow tie, he raced after the culprit in front of a crowd of onlookers before performing a dramatic citizen’s arrest.

Witness Eli Mengem live tweeted the incident, describing it as “another madness in London”.

He wrote: “So this scumbag biker (in helmet) snatches handbag off a woman, pushes her to ground and rides off but dude in suit bolts after him, knocking him off and placing him under citizens arrest.”

He added that the “dude even lets the guy have a cigarette while we wait for cops.”

“Cops taking a while and suit hero even has the decency to let the kid go pick his bike up,” he continued.

Mr Mengem said that the tuxedo man – who he referred to as Lewychino – followed the thief all the way, telling him: “You ain’t running I’ll follow you all the way to dalston you p***k."

However the onlooker added: “But give a scumbag an inch and he’ll take a mile...” alongside a clip of dapper Lewychino in hot pursuit of the criminal.

Police confirmed that the man was chased and detained by officers in Chancery Lane.

Mr Mengem tweeted: “They got him! Or should I say the suit man aka hero Lewychino got him four blocks down the road in a dipping tux.

“Suits up even better than he runs. He says also says follow him on insta – lewychino.”

A Met Police spokeswoman said: “Police were called at 2.19pm on Wednesday, May 2 to reports of a robbery suspect being detained by members of the public in High Holborn.

“The victim was waiting for a bus when a male on a pedal cycle pushed her, causing her to fall, and grabbed her mobile phone. The victim shouted that her mobile phone had been taken.

“The suspect, a 19-year-old man, was chased and detained by members of the public. He managed to break-free but was detained shortly after by officers in Chancery Lane.

“He was arrested on suspicion of theft. He was taken to a north London police station where he was further arrested on suspicion of robbery. He remains in custody.”