Skip to main content

Watch a brazen phone thief get taken down with a flying kick

Sometimes, criminals get exactly what they deserve, as this cheeky smartphone thief definitely found out after grabbing a phone from an unsuspecting truck driver in Guangdong, China. Check out this incredible footage, that appears to have been taken from closed circuit TV cameras, showing the thief on his getaway scooter being confronted by the angry truck driver, who performs a flying, martial arts-style takedown to recover his phone.

The opportunistic thief snatched the smartphone from the truck’s cab, apparently when the driver was actually using the device to make a call, unaware he was taking it from someone who wasn’t prepared to lose his phone that day. The thief calmly puts the phone to his ear before hanging up the call, and gets on his scooter to make his getaway.

Recommended Videos

The events leading up to what happens next are a little unclear. Some reports say the truck driver spotted the thief riding past later in the day, but reconstructions suggest it was only moments later, as the scooter rode past on the other side of the road. Whichever it is, the result is the same, and it’s not good for the thief.

Completely without fear, the truck driver runs into the road and stands in front of the rapidly approaching scooter. At the last minute, he rushes towards the bike, uses the front of it as a launchpad, and the thief gets a leg in the face, sending him, the bike, and the truck driver crashing to the ground. After dispensing some more “justice,” the truck driver snatches back his phone. The criminal, knowing he stole from the wrong person, pulls himself up and rides off in the opposite direction.

Additional video shows that the truck driver, now reunited with his phone, sustained only a few cuts and bruises from the incident. However, this video should come with a “don’t try this at home” warning, as every aspect had a chance of going very wrong for the truck driver, including confronting a thief in the first place.

That doesn’t change the feeling of satisfaction we all get from seeing a cowardly smartphone thief get his comeuppance in such a spectacular way.

Andy Boxall
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
Cost-cutting strips Pixel 9a of the best Gemini AI features in Pixel 9
Person holds Pixel 9a in hand while sitting in a car.

The Pixel 9a has been officially revealed, and while it's an eye candy, there are some visible cutbacks over the more premium Pixel 9 and 9 Pro series phones. The other cutbacks we don't see include lower RAM than the Pixel 9 phones, which can limit the new mid-ranger's ability to run AI applications, despite running the same Tensor G4 chipset.

Google's decision to limit the RAM to 8GB, compared to the 12GB on the more premium Pixel 9 phones, sacrifices its ability to run certain AI tasks locally. ArsTechnica has reported that as a result of the cost-cutting, Pixel 9a runs an "extra extra small" or XXS variant -- instead of the "extra small" variant on Pixel 9 -- of the Gemini Nano 1.0 model that drives on-device AI functions.

Read more
Does the Google Pixel 9a come with a charger? Here’s what’s in the box
A woman holding a purple Google Pixel 9a.

After much speculation in recent months, the Google Pixel 9a has finally been announced. Google's Pixel A series is an excellent choice for those seeking a reliable Android smartphone at a lower price point, and the latest model follows this trend. While it is undeniably part of the Google Pixel 9 series, it has fewer features than its higher-end counterparts.

One question you might have when considering the Pixel 9a is whether it comes with a charger. We’ve got the answer
The Pixel 9a does not come with a charger.
The short answer is that the Pixel 9a does not have a charger. This has become common practice for most smartphones today, including other models in the Pixel 9 series, like the Pixel 9 Pro. While this may be disappointing, it's not surprising.

Read more
Google Pixel 9a vs. Pixel 8a: should you upgrade?
Google Pixel 9a vs Pixel 8a.

Google has released a new budget phone, the Pixel 9a. How does it compare to its predecessor, the Pixel 8a? We've got the answers, and the changes are significant in some ways. In others, not so much. If you have a Pixel 8a and are considering upgrading, read this first.
Google Pixel 9a: vs. Google Pixel 8a: specs

Google Pixel 9a
Google Pixel 8a

Read more