A JEWELLER and a passer-by chased two suspected thieves – leading to their arrest.

The pair chased the two suspects around the streets of Hove and over garden fences – helping police to eventually arrest two men who are accused of stealing a gold chain worth £500.

Bystander Robert Nemeth said he thought the pair were running for a bus yesterday afternoon in Hove until he saw jeweller Simon Cooper in hot pursuit.

He joined Mr Cooper from Coopers jewellers in George Street in the chase.

They raced up Goldstone Villas into Eaton Villas and Eaton Gardens before the suspects ran through back gardens to get into The Drive and then on to Cromwell Road, Wilbury Road, and then through the Sussex Cricket County Ground, where the pair initially gave their pursuers the slip.

Mr Nemeth said: “I saw two guys running past me and at first I thought they were just running for the bus.

“They then ran past the bus stop which I thought was weird, maybe they are running for a train, but then I saw Keith running after them in the distance and the alarm started going off so we both chased them. I just saw my friend and I just thought I have to help, I’m not going to let these two get away.

“After we lost them, we were driven around in a circuit by police officers for about ten minutes and we spotted one of them walking over the railway bridge by Wickes and then another one was in a block of flats.”

Mr Cooper, whose third-generation jewellers have been in Hove for 30 years, said he was in his upstairs office and his two daughters were in the shop when the panic alarm was activated.

He said he and Mr Nemeth chased two men for nearly half an hour and lost them by the cricket ground but then spotted them in Holland Road from the police van.

He said: “I got hold of one of them in the street and wrestled with them and Robert got hold of the other but they managed to get away. I’m in my 50s so how I managed to keep up with them for that long I don’t know.”

A Sussex Police spokesman said at 12.20pm yesterday two men snatched a chain from a display at Coopers jewellers and ran off.

He added: “Following an immediate police search two Brighton men aged 28 and 22 were arrested on suspicion of theft by officers in nearby Holland Road and are currently in custody for interview and further enquiries.”