Remembrance Sunday: Soldier makes parade after rescuing Poppy tins from thief

Joseph Lionetti was at his family's café when he heard the Poppy tins had been stolen from Tesco

A soldier who recovered two Poppy Appeal collection tins from a thief still had time to make it to a virtual Remembrance Parade.

Pte Joseph Lionetti heard the man had taken the tins from Tesco in Bedford High Street at 10:00 GMT.

He gave chase, retrieved them and made it back for the 10:15 GMT start of the Remembrance Sunday event just "a few minutes late".

"It was a split-second decision to do something good," he said.

"I appreciate people saying I'm a hero, but I'm not."

'We need more'

Mr Lionetti, from 201 Sqn, Bedford, of the 158 Regiment The Royal Logistic Corps, has been praised for his actions on Facebook.

One user said: "We need more like this young man."

The 27-year-old said he had been working with his father at family-owned La Piazza café in Bedford town centre when he heard the Royal British Legion Appeal collection tins had been taken.

"I was in uniform as the squadron was holding a virtual Remembrance parade on Zoom," he said.

He pursued the thief, at one point vaulting a barrier before chasing him down.

Mr Lionetti said the man, who had told him he needed the money for drugs, had been "desperate" and "needed help".

'Needed more'

He said the tins had been full and may have contained as much as £60 each, adding: "All charities are suffering because of Covid.

"They are needed more than ever."

He said after retrieving the tins he managed to get back in time for the virtual parade: "I was a few minutes late, but they accepted I had a good reason.

"I was mobilised at the beginning of the year to help at coronavirus testing centres. We are doing good as a country and little things like this make people happier."