So, you catch a 'thief'...

Something's been playing on my mind since last week

I was cutting through from the one way bit, top of Tott. Court Rd from Euston Rd, past the Hospital. Clocked a fella going like the clappers with a hacksaw on the lock of a bike on the bike rack.
I slowed down a bit, tried getting a good look and carried on past. Then I stopped and went back...
I asked him if it was his bike to which he replied calmly, 'Yeah, lost my key somewhere'. I replied 'OK mate, just checking, loads of bike thieves around at the mo, good luck with it'
Thing is, he had his coat, bag and helmet next to him on the floor(decoy, red herring?) but the thing that got the alarm bells ringing was he had a big chunky set of plyers and obviously the hacksaw. Don't know about you, but who the hell cycles around with big old plyers and a fuck off hacksaw? He also looked a tad grubby and was Irish(gypsy/traveller type)
See, what the hell do you do in that situation.....?

hmmm... what if you point and scream "thief" and yell for someone to call the police and whip out your phone/ take your d-lock in hand... this is bound to evoke a reaction that will reveal whether their a thief or not! saw a guy try to unscrew a stem off a bike on my way home the other day. came up behind him, he turns around and i say as casually as possible "what are you doing to my bike mate"... he pissed it(ran with great haste)