This archive report was first published on 24 August 2020.
On a Monday morning in August 2020, a thief in Vasteras, Sweden, made a hasty mistake that would land him in trouble. The culprit, a man in his 30s, cycled past an elderly woman, 90, and snatched her handbag from a basket on her walker.
However, the thief didn't get away as easily as he thought. Victor Lindelof, a Manchester United defender from Vasteras, witnessed the crime and sprang into action. He chased down the thief, caught up with him, and held him until the police arrived at the scene.
The police department in Vasteras issued a statement thanking Lindelof for his swift action, saying, "A man who was in the vicinity is said to have run after the suspected perpetrator, caught up with him and held him until the police arrived at the scene... The police want to take the opportunity and thank the witness for a quick and wise intervention to restore the plaintiff's property."
A Manchester United spokesperson later confirmed that Lindelof was indeed the hero who prevented the thief from escaping, saying, "He ran after the thief and got the bag back without using any violence. Victor believes he was just doing what anybody would have done in that situation."
The culprit, who was under the influence of drugs, was taken for testing and is suspected of aggravated theft and minor drug offenses.
At the time of the incident, Lindelof was on a break after Manchester United's Europa League semi-finals loss to Sevilla eight days prior.
Manchester United, along with Manchester City, was given a slightly later date of September 19 for their first Premier League game of the season due to their exertions in European competition.
