Man wrestles suspect to floor on Tyne and Wear Metro

Northumbria Police commended the "brave" actions of the man

A man has been praised after wrestling a suspected thief to the floor and keeping him detained until he was arrested.

Police in plain clothing had also been onboard the Tyne and Wear Metro when the attempted bike theft took place.

The bicycle's owner had managed to stop the suspect while the train was in the Palmersville area of North Tyneside.

Northumbria Police commended the "brave" actions of the man, but urged people not to put themselves at risk.

A 38-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of robbery, but has since been released on bail while inquiries continue.

'Quickly and decisively'

"This was a great arrest which came about as a result of our proactive patrols being carried out across the Metro network," Ch Supt Sam Rennison, area commander for North Tyneside and Northumberland, said on Monday.

"I would like to commend the member of the public who bravely tackled the suspect to the ground while alerting our officers.

"While we would never actively encourage members of the public to put themselves at risk or harm, the individual in question acted quickly and decisively - and they should be very proud of themselves."

The attempted theft, which happened at about 22:00 GMT on Tuesday, should serve as a warning to people thinking about committing an offence, the force said.

Ms Rennison added that plain-clothed officers "routinely patrol" the Tyne and Wear Metro to tackle "any pockets of disorder".