This is the moment two thieves get their comeuppance as a police car crashes into them from behind, knocking them off their motorbike just seconds after they mug a woman on the street.

The incident took place in the Brazilian city of Sobral on the night of 3rd July. The officers were on a routine patrol at the time the mugging took place.

CCTV cameras capture the moment a couple walks down the street as two male thieves pull up on a motorbike, and the man riding pillion gets off and approaches the pair.

The woman’s partner is seen running away, but the woman herself is unable to flee and the mugger runs over to her and steals her belongings.

The mugger then jumps onto the back of the motorbike with the stolen goods as his accomplice then rides off.

However, a car belonging to the municipal guard (the local security forces) crashes into them from behind just seconds later.

Both thieves and their motorbike are knocked to the ground, and the two suspects are then seen trying to run away from the officers who get out of their car and pursue them.

The municipal guards managed to catch one of the perpetrators who they took to the local police station. It is unclear if he remains in preventive custody.

No one was injured in the incident, and the officers even managed to retrieve the woman’s stolen goods and return them to her.