THIS was the scene after a member of the public “rugby-tackled” a suspected robber and sat on him until police arrived.

Several men struck at Michael Jones Jewellers, in Banbury’s High Street, yesterday at 10.40am and stole expensive watches.

They used a hammer during the raid – the third on the shop in five years – and police say they fled the scene on motorbikes.

A passer-by stopped one of the suspects and pulled a crash helmet off another, police said.

A bag containing some of the stolen items was recovered at the scene.

John Lucas, 68, of Blacklocks Hill, near Banbury, was one of the first on the scene. Mr Lucas, who took the pictures above, said: “I heard people shouting stop him, stop him.

“There were half-a-dozen people chasing a man down the High Street then one man rugby-tackled him and took him to the ground. He was holding him down until the police arrived.”

Smoke, used as a security device at the shop, was seen billowing from the door.

Kay Clark, sales representative for the Oxford Mail’s sister paper the Banbury Cake , said: “There was lots and lots of smoke.”

Four men were last night in police custody on suspicion of robbery.

One man was arrested at the scene and three were picked up later by police in the Grimsbury area.

Police also recovered a motor vehicle in the area and believe they have retrieved all the jewellery taken in the raid.

Det Insp Mike Lynch appealed for witnesses to call him on the police inquiry line, 101.

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