A suspected pickpocket got a taste of instant karma after attempting a theft in front of a black belt martial artist.
Ivan Skoko, 29, used his Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills to subdue the alleged thief at Borough railway station last month.
Footage from the incident shows the man pinned beneath Skoko’s knee, saying, “I don’t want to stab you, bro,” as he lay on the floor.
Originally from Croatia, Skoko claimed gold in the men’s ultra-heavyweight category at the British Open earlier this year.
He said he sprang into action after hearing a “very loud scream” from a fellow passenger on the Northern line.
Police arrested a suspected thief at Borough Tube Station in London, UK.
Witness Ivan Skoko said he initially feared someone had been stabbed. “I was thinking someone got stabbed or something happened,” he recalled. “Then I realized in a split second that a robbery was taking place, as a woman was clutching her phone tightly.”
Skoko, a seasoned martial artist, said he often sees thefts near the gym where he works. “I know if you don’t react quickly, these guys will get away,” he explained.
He added that he immediately asked the victim, loudly and clearly, who had committed the theft. When she pointed to the suspect on the platform, Skoko opened the train doors, jumped off, and tackled the man within five seconds. “I took the guy down and said, ‘Do not move,’” he said.
Items recovered from the suspected thief included a hammer and two mobile phones.
Skoko said the man tried to reach for a hammer in his pocket, but he used a judo foot sweep to take him down. After restraining the suspect, Skoko put his phone on the ground and began filming the scene.
Among the items found in the man’s pocket were two phones—one with a ‘Hello Kitty’ case—and the hammer. Police were called, and the alleged thief was arrested at the station.
Skoko, who describes himself as a vigilante, estimates he has confronted criminals at least ten times, including an incident where masked thugs attempted to vandalize the gym where he works. He said his decision to fight back stems from a personal experience five years ago when his bike was stolen.
“I called the police, and they said, ‘Unfortunately, you’ll never see your bike again,’” Skoko recalled. “I asked them, ‘Why am I calling you then? What’s the point if you can’t tackle the crime?’”
Vigilante Ivan Skoko estimates he has confronted criminals at least ten times, including an incident where masked thugs attempted to vandalize the gym where he works.
“They said, ‘Sir, we don’t have enough resources.’ With all the taxes we pay, they still don’t have the resources,” Skoko said. “That was the first and last time I called the police. I realized I’d have to train really hard and take it seriously.”
Skoko added, “Every single person who tries to rob me will be tackled, disarmed, and handed over to the police. We need to take care of ourselves. If you leave yourself in the police’s hands, you’ll be hurt, stabbed, robbed, raped, or even killed. That’s not going to be me—I’m going to defend myself. I’m not scared.”
British Transport Police confirmed the arrest: “Officers were called to Borough Underground station at around 7:30 pm on October 28 following reports of an attempted theft. Officers attended, and a man was arrested on suspicion of theft, possession of an offensive weapon, and handling stolen goods.”
