Dean Bathurst, a tradesman, alongside his two sons, detained a suspect in a citizen’s arrest for half an hour, not realizing the man was allegedly involved in a violent crime earlier that day. The suspect had reportedly threatened a woman with a gun, indecently assaulted her, and stolen her car.
The dramatic incident was recorded on camera at around 7 a.m. on Tuesday when Dean noticed an unfamiliar individual inside his vehicle in Bindoon, roughly 70 kilometers north of Perth.
The suspect is accused of having forced his way into the woman’s car, where he allegedly assaulted her and issued threats while brandishing what seemed to be a firearm.
Following the initial car theft, the suspect allegedly traveled an hour north to Bindoon, abandoned the stolen vehicle, broke into a home, and stole another car.
Once apprehended, the 31-year-old man from Brabham was handed over to the police. He now faces multiple charges, including armed robbery, deprivation of liberty, unlawful and indecent assault, and the theft of two vehicles.
He appeared in Armadale Magistrates Court this afternoon, where he was denied bail.
The Bathursts won’t forget the early morning takedown any time soon.
“I might actually go to bed dressed a bit better than my SpongeBob jocks from now on,” Dean said.
“Good thing I wasn’t wearing my Superman jocks, because that could have been a completely different situation.
“But fully expect to be made into a meme after this.”
