It takes a special type of lowlife to steal to try and steal from a senior citizen and war veteran who is selling poppies to raise money for fellow veterans. It takes an incredibly stupid lowlife to try and do it in front of a group of bikers.
UK outlet Metro has footage of the moments when Steven Norman was apprehended and held by the group of men from Oxleathers Motorcycle Club after they spotted him trying to steal a war veteran’s wallet. The veteran was selling poppies for Armistice Day, which is the equivalent of Veterans Day in the US and marks the end of World War 1.
After a pretty limp attempt to fight off the men who were performing a citizen’s arrest the would-be thief was further restrained by two of the other men. Witness and Royal Air Force veteran Terry Williams told Metro that one of his colleagues, Bryan, was the one who intervened, wrapping up Norman in a headlock until police arrived.
“We would never be violent but people should step in and stop these crimes from happening,” Williams explained. “When people stand and watch things happen, the more these criminals will think they can get away with it.”
The thief was handed a £247 ($320) fine after the incident, which disappointed the group of bikers. They say the light sentence won’t deter them from getting involved to stop further incidents.
It’s always a positive when good men stand up for others, and it warms our hearts to see our motorcycling brethren taking appropriate and restrained action when it is called for. One of the things we like best about this video is how calm it is.
There is no shouting, no yelling, no needless force, and no chest beating. They simply restrain the criminal, ensure the public is safe, and wait patiently for the police. There is a thin line between being a good citizen and being a vigilante, and these British bikers are a good example of how to do it right.