A Perth plumber, Adam Breen, has gained viral attention on social media after he chased down and restrained an alleged car thief who struggled to drive a stolen vehicle outside a bottle shop in the northern Perth suburb of Carine. Breen said he acted out of concern for public safety, fearing someone could be injured.

Video footage circulating online shows the alleged thief having difficulty driving away because the car's handbrake was engaged. The man eventually abandoned the vehicle and was restrained by Breen, with two other tradesmen assisting.

Breen recounted to ABC Perth, "I've seen this character looking a bit shady," and described how he followed the man, who was carrying several bottles of stolen liquor, while recording the incident. "I couldn't really believe what I was seeing, but he's put the car in reverse and it's just sort of skipped backwards," he said.

Despite the viral attention, a prominent lawyer has cautioned that citizen's arrests carry risks and may expose individuals to assault charges if unreasonable force is applied. Nevertheless, Breen stated he knew what he was doing and would act similarly again.

Breen shared his experience with ABC, noting the involvement of others who came to help during the incident.

Sources