Police honour for 'hero' who tackled Walsall robber

Some people may have considered pocketing the cash, but Mr Simpson was not tempted for a moment.

He had chased Gurnam Dulai and pinned him down after he was seen snatching a worshipper's handbag at a Sikh temple in Walsall.

Mr Simpson ignored his pleas to split the £3,000 contents of the bag and was determined to call the police.

Dulai eventually struggled free – but not before Mr Simpson had prised the cash from his grasp.

The security consultant, of Handsworth Wood, Birmingham, has been honoured for his actions by police.

Police say he 'helped ensure justice was done'.

Detectives found blood droplets at the scene which, after forensics analysis, returned a DNA 'hit' pointing to Dulai, of no fixed address.

Police caught up with him the following month when his car was stopped by officers in Forge Lane, West Bromwich.

He was later jailed for 30 months at Wolverhampton Crown Court, in Piper's Row.

Police chiefs today said Mr Simpson showed 'civic duty and bravery' outside Walsall High Street's Guru Nanak Gurdwara on September 21 last year.

He has been handed a Good Citizen Award by Chief Constable Chris Sims and Deputy Police & Crime Commissioner Yvonne Mosquito at a ceremony this week.

Sandwell Police Chief Superintendent Mark Robinson said: "Mr Simpson's sense of civic duty and bravery is commendable; he could easily have turned a blind eye but felt moved to chase the thief and help out a clearly distressed victim. The robber even tried offering him part of the cash – but he ignored the 'deal' and returned the money to its rightful owner.

"The fact that someone was robbed within the grounds of the temple shocked and appalled the local community, but Mr Simpson's actions helped us ensure justice was done.

"We were able to trace Dulai and he was jailed for 30 months."