Video shows moment fleeing criminal is tackled from his bike by police
Moment prolific shoplifter gets tackled by policeThis is the moment police officers patrolling Swansea city centre tackled and arrested a well-known shoplifter who attempted to flee on a bicycle.The footage, captured during South Wales Police's Operation Viscaria, shows 27-year-old Joshua Hayter, from Ynysforgan, trying to ride away after plain-clothed officers approached him on Swansea High Street on November 26. Moments earlier, he had been seen attempting to sell high-value cosmetics that he had stolen from a nearby shop.As Hayter tries to make off, one of the officers sprints forward and brings him to an abrupt stop by tackling him to the ground. Officers then recovered hundreds of pounds worth of cosmetics along with 13 grams of cannabis.Hayter was already on a suspended sentence at the time of the arrest. He has now been jailed for eight weeks, with a further 16 weeks added for his previous offence.Joshua HayterA spokesperson for South Wales Police said: "Officers on patrol in Swansea City Centre as part of Operation Viscaria detained and arrested a well-known shoplifter. 27-year-old Joshua Hayter, from Ynysforgan, was spotted on Swansea High Street on November 26, trying to sell expensive cosmetics which he’d just stolen from a nearby shop."He tried to make off on his bike when he noticed plain-clothed officers approaching him, but he was soon stopped in his tracks thanks to a well-timed tackle from the officer."Hayter was on a suspended sentence when he was caught - he was jailed for eight weeks, plus an extra 16 weeks for the previous offence."As a prolific shoplifter tries to make off, a South Wales Police officer sprints forward and brings him to an abrupt stop by tackling him to the ground.(Image: South Wales Police)According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), shoplifting offences in England and Wales have recently reached record highs. For example, in 2024 recorded shoplifting offences jumped to 516,971 — a 20% increase compared with 2023.Further, over the 12 months to June 2025, there were nearly 530,000 shop thefts recorded, marking another peak.Operation Viscaria is a South Wales Police initiative launched in late 2023 to increase high-visibility patrols and tackle crime, especially anti-social behaviour (ASB), shoplifting, and intimidation in Swansea city centre, focusing on public reassurance and deterring offences.Get Swansea news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here. We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice
