Orpington business owner stuns Croydon card fraudster with citizen's arrest (From News Shopper)
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Orpington business owner stuns Croydon card fraudster with citizen's arrest
12:13pm Tuesday 9th October 2012 in News By Harry Kemble
Raman Sunmonu, 24, outside his shop in Orpington High Street
A BOGUS bank card fraudster pinned to the ground by an Orpington shop owner who performed a citizen’s arrest, has been handed a community order.
Marvin Xavier, 32, of Lower Addiscombe Road, Croydon, pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation on October 1 at Bromley Magistrates’ Court after he tried to buy two phones costing £320 with a fake card.
Get Paid owner Raman Sunmonu first became suspicious when Xavier asked for a discount on a phone costing £59.99 but was seemingly happy to pay £270 for a BlackBerry phone.
But the 24-year-old raised the alarm after he compared Xavier’s card with his own from the same bank behind the counter of his Orpington High Street shop.
He said: "I thought it was an amazing copy but there were certain things that just weren’t correct.
"I did take it personally because this guy was trying to take money off me."
The quick-witted shop owner shouted for someone to call the police which prompted Xavier to flee the shop.
However, the cheat tripped on the pavement before Mr Sunmonu stunned shoppers by pinning the fraudster to the floor using an armbar - a mixed martial arts move.
This move involves placing your legs across the defendant’s chest, with one of his arms between your thighs and with the elbow joint against your hips.
Mr Sunmonu says police eventually arrived after he waited 15 minutes with Xavier in a nearby McDonald’s restaurant.
He said: "I approached several border police in Orpington High Street but they said they could not do anything even though they had hand cuffs and five cars.
"I thought why am I the guy to arrest him.
"That was just as frustrating as the guy using a fake card in my shop - the fact I spent so much time trying to persuade the border patrol to call the police."
Mr Sunmonu says if Xavier had been successful the electronics store, which only opened in August, would have struggled to survive.
He said: "It would have been really bad because these are my life savings I have invested into this shop."
Despite the heroic actions of Mr Sunmonu, the Met still advises the public to leave arrests to the experts.
A police spokesman said: "We understand situations like this do arise but we still advise members of the public to always call 999 in incidents of an emergency."
Xavier was sentenced to an 80-hour community order and is also required to pay £85 court costs.
Comments(20)
joertmclark
says...
1:31pm Tue 9 Oct 12
Oldchap
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2:04pm Tue 9 Oct 12
born n breed
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2:47pm Tue 9 Oct 12
A police spokesman said: "We understand situations like this do arise but we still advise members of the public to always call 999 in incidents of an emergency."
Well it looks like the public can do a better job than the pro's, and now we can beat up burglars. What are border police????
Loopyloz
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4:26pm Tue 9 Oct 12
Orpington is full of them and I'm not surprised they wouldn't do anything. Scared would be an understated emotion for those jobsworths.
Lukeyboy
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4:49pm Tue 9 Oct 12
croydon chav
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9:05pm Tue 9 Oct 12
JimboCPFC
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11:19pm Tue 9 Oct 12
Locked & Loaded
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10:04am Wed 10 Oct 12
ithinksoo
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10:12am Wed 10 Oct 12
Invicta58
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10:41pm Wed 10 Oct 12
April Epps
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6:48pm Thu 11 Oct 12
PaulErith
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9:13am Fri 12 Oct 12
April Epps wrote:I'd say fair play to him. If more people stood up to criminals, the World would be a better place. Criminals confidently rob people in the street or steal from shops. If there were more stories of the criminal being apprehended or attacked back, it might make some think twice.
Can't believe he's acting like a hero!!!! !! What people don't know is that he's a thug himself, thinks he's big and brave after phoning my husband and threatening him, which resulted in a little visit from the police to warn him off!!!! Hahahaha he's just so pathetic it's laughable!!!!!!
JamesLox
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10:37am Fri 12 Oct 12
April Epps wrote:Please re-check your information Mrs Epps. Maybe a story should be run on your husband and exactly the illegal activity that he has been participating in which has caused this frustration. Also the attempt that your husband made create a false accusation to help his case so that he did not lose his job. The fact is that this guy who you say is "acting like a hero" was actually a victim of your husbands deception. Your husband has also been taking money from a bundle of other business owners and is currently under investigation. You should disclose the information to what your husband has been getting up to and why he has been suspended from his work place and maybe you should also inform the police to cross-reference your "little visit from the police". Please state facts. Another great story would be the story of the activities that your husband was doing and how he not only defrauded the company he worked for but also defrauded businesses across the borough. One being this 24 year old boy and your right he is big and brave for informing the company in question so that they could stamp out this sort of activity. Nobody wants to employ a crook.
Can't believe he's acting like a hero!!!! !! What people don't know is that he's a thug himself, thinks he's big and brave after phoning my husband and threatening him, which resulted in a little visit from the police to warn him off!!!! Hahahaha he's just so pathetic it's laughable!!!!!!
Gypo.Joe
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4:33pm Fri 12 Oct 12
April Epps do one.
commenting scoffer
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10:14am Mon 15 Oct 12
Gypo.Joe wrote:...we stood up to you!! rofl!!
Well done Raman, as others have said if more people stood up to these scum the streets would be safer for everyone. April Epps do one.
Gypo.Joe
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9:18pm Mon 15 Oct 12
Now run ( or waddle ) along fatty.
Been dahn Reculver lately giving it the large have we fatty ?
gutter press reader
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9:35am Wed 17 Oct 12
Gypo.Joe wrote:# gypo joe you know what you are! :)
Karl I could and have stood up to you more times that you like to remember you racist moron. Now run ( or waddle ) along fatty. Been dahn Reculver lately giving it the large have we fatty ?
Locked an Loaded
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9:46am Wed 17 Oct 12
Gypo.Joe wrote:I can vach for Joe alwight. he is standing up now after them knee pads got a bit worn dan a bit he he Joe likes it when i talk all scummy things to him gets all hot under the collar and relaxed flustered like he he i be down the usual boozer tonite at 8 Joe someone got a new set of knee pads fer ya! he he
Karl I could and have stood up to you more times that you like to remember you racist moron. Now run ( or waddle ) along fatty. Been dahn Reculver lately giving it the large have we fatty ?
bible scoffer
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9:59am Thu 18 Oct 12
goldenbroomboy says...
1:10pm Tue 9 Oct 12