A MAN gave chase after a teenager stole his car and made a citizen’s arrest when the bungling thief stalled.

Ben Gooding, 28, was in the living room of his partner’s house when he heard the distinctive sound of his car starting up.

He ran outside and saw his “old banger” being driven down the road.

When the getaway driver stalled, Mr Gooding pulled him out of the driver’s seat and held him until police officers arrived.

Mr Gooding said: “I’ve got a dodgy fan belt, so it makes a squeaking noise. As soon as I heard it, I knew it was my car.

“I looked out and saw my car had gone.”

The drama unfolded in Williamsburg Avenue, Dovercourt, on Saturday at 7.30pm.

Mr Gooding, who lives in Harwich and works as a welder, said: “Luckily enough he had stalled it at the end of the road, so it gave me enough time to get to the car.

“It was like an adrenalin rush.

“I was like: ‘You’re not getting away with my car’.”

There were two people in the car. Mr Gooding grabbed the teenage driver and the passenger ran away.

He pulled him out and called the police.

His brother-in-law and his brother joined him and the group held on to the offender until the police arrived 20 minutes later.

Mr Gooding said: “He kept asking me to let him go.”

Mr Gooding believes the offenders must have broken into his house earlier in the day and swiped the keys.

The Rover, which he uses for work, was not damaged.

Forensics officers are due to look over it today.

He said: “It’s only an old banger, it’s not even worth nicking.”