Police praised the "swift action of witnesses" but urged the public to consider their safety after an angle grinder bike robber was confronted as he cut through a lock and injured in an "altercation", the offender now jailed for 33 months.
George Jhugroo pleaded guilty to charges of robbery and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place in relation to the incident on 28 May last year. He was seen using an angle grinder to cut through a lock and steal a Brompton worth £2,000 on Kings Road, near Cavendish Place, on Brighton's seafront.
The victim and several witnesses saw sparks flying as the 24-year-old from south London removed the lock and members of the public confronted the bike thief, demanding that he stop.
> Check out "the lightest angle grinder-resistant lock" infused with diamond
However, Jhugroo continued and became aggressive with those who had stepped in, threatening to assault them with the angle grinder before riding off in the direction of Norfolk Square.
Sussex Police explained that Jhugroo was injured in an altercation following the robbery and the bike was recovered.
Brighton and Hove News reports Jim Mortimore got his bike back after Jhugroo was "chased", "ended up in a scrap" and was "battered". Having gone to Royal Sussex County Hospital for treatment later that day, he was intercepted by police officers and arrested.
On February 5 he was charged with robbery and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place, charges he pleaded guilty to in April and was sentenced to 33 months imprisonment at Lewes Crown Court.
"The swift action of witnesses reporting crucial detail ensured that police were able to quickly apprehend Jhugroo," Detective Constable James Botting said. "We hope this sentence serves as a deterrent to others considering similar criminal activities. We are grateful to those who confronted Jhugroo, but we want to remind the public that their safety is paramount.
"If you witness a crime in progress, please act with caution and call 999 at the earliest opportunity. Your safety is more important than anything else."
There has been a concerning trend in recent times of bike thieves using angle grinders to easily cut through locks and steal bicycles, footage of incidents regularly appearing on social media and in the press.
> Organised crime gang sentenced for prolific thefts of more than £100,000 worth of bikes
Last May, we reported the case involving a 70-year-old London cyclist who managed to fight off a gang of blacked-out bike thieves armed with an angle grinder who attempted to steal his Brompton outside a cafe in broad daylight.
Of course the more common angle grinder theft cases are those involving a lock being cut through. The footage of one such case, filmed outside a busy shopping centre in Surrey Quays, went viral in the autumn of 2021, thieves seen using an angle grinder to steal a Trek bicycle as crowds of shoppers watched on.
The following June, Helen Hayes, the Labour MP for Dulwich and West Norwood almost had her bike taken by an angle grinder bike thief. Fortunately staff working at a nearby restaurant saw what was happening and the suspect fled.