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Hero grandfather foils neighbourhood thief

A NSW grandfather has put his body on the line to stop a thief from stealing his neighbour's car.

A man has cheated with allegedly breaking into a home and fleeing on the back of a ride-on lawn mower on the NSW South Coast on Thursday.

The 30-year-old man allegedly threw a brick into the window of a home on Semillon Place in Dapto around 6.50 am Thursday moments before entering and stealing a Ford Focus.



Paul Robinson saw the robbery unfolding at his neighbour's house and knew that he had to step in.

Mr Robsinson had the man in a headlock as the Ford Focus took off and slammed into a parked trailer.

"I tried to get the ignition key off him and tried to hang on and he hit the accelerator and dragged me out of there," Mr Robinson told 9News.

"My face actually head-butted the inside door handle."

Mr Robinson was dragged about 40 metres before the car crashed but had only minor injuries.



The man fled the scene on foot before allegedly breaking into a second home on Cormack Street.

Police say he attempted to drive off on a ride-on lawn mower.

He was arrested on Mawarra Avenue before being taken to hospital.

It is believed he allegedly may have ingested an unknown substance.

He remains in police custody.

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grandfather, neighbourhood, thief, robbery, legal, hero