Police on Tuesday arrested a 47-year-old man for an attempted street theft committed in Limassol, minutes after the crime thanks to the quick response of a bystander.

Around 9 am, a 43-year-old woman walking on a street in Limassol, was approached by an unknown man who allegedly pushed her to the ground, grabbed her bag, pushed her again, and fled.

The woman called for help and a bystander jumped into action, managing to immobilise the alleged thief before he got into his car to escape. Police were then informed and sped to the scene.

Examinations revealed that the alleged perpetrator is a resident of Limassol, aged 47, while the woman’s bag was found inside his vehicle. The bag contained a sum of cash, receipts from various restaurants managed by the company where the woman is employed.

A judicial arrest warrant was issued against the 47-year-old and he was detained to facilitate investigations.

Police caution the public to be careful when transporting money in cash including, when possible, being accompanied by another person, transporting a large sum in several smaller amounts, and keeping it discretely in a safe-box.