Is This 'Australia's Dumbest Thief'?

Only this young man knows what was going through his mind when he made the bizarre decision to steal a bike at the start of a charity cycle ride on the country’s Gold Coast.

As the riders line up ready to take their mark, listening to Australia’s national anthem, a man emerges from the pack on a bike, wearing non-racing clothes.

As he wobbles along the track in front of the shocked cyclists and stewards the man bellows: “I win, I win!”

In footage of the strange theft, captured on a spectators mobile phone, a man can be heard shouting: “That bike’s stolen, that bike’s stolen.”

Someone else yells: “Stop him!”

Immediately people come from all directions and chase the man as he continues to ride on the bike he has just pinched.

But the foolish thief makes the mistake of turning around and riding back towards the pack of angry cyclists and their friend who are intent on getting the bike back.

Suddenly a man flies through the air and tackles the red faced thief to the ground.

Things then start to get serious as police officers arrive, pin the man to the floor and arrest him on suspicion of theft.

The hero of the hour was Lachlan Boyle, who told 7 News Gold Coast: “A few of us jumped in front of him as he was coming towards us and we got him off the bike and got the bike back to the other person.”

Mr Boyle told the news channel that rather than be angry the bike thief actual praised his tackling skills.

The 55km race he interrupted, the Oceanway Ride from Surfers Paradise to Point Danger and back, went ahead after the drama.

The event raises money for Mates4Mates, which supports current and ex-serving Australian Defence Force members, and their families, who have physical or psychological wounds, injuries or illnesses as a result of their service.

According to local media reports, the man is due in court later this month.