Midfielder turns into a crime fighter at night.
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Lazio star Ogenyi Onazi won plaudits earlier this week as he turned from midfield patrolman into a crime busting patrolman after chasing a thief through the streets of Rome, the Daily Mail reports.
The 20-year-old was enjoying a leisurely meal with his brother when he grew suspicious of a shady character hanging around nearby, and surely enough, his suspicions were confirmed when the stranger nabbed the wallet of an unsuspecting tourist.
The thief took off and Onazi was soon in pursuit, and using his blistering pace he tracked the criminal for some 300 metres before tackling the pick pocket and returning to the restaurant with the wallet.
A defensive midfielder by trade, who has featured for Lazio six times so far this season, Onazi isn’t of the nature to bask in glories – his is often an unheralded duty.
And rather than break the habit of a lifetime, he soon made his exit to leave it to the police to handle the aftermath.
“I was having dinner with my brother near to the Termini Station and there were some tourists sitting next to us,” Onazi said.
“I saw a boy and immediately felt due to his suspicious behaviour that he wanted to steal something.
“I didn’t even have time to tell my brother that he had already snatched the tourist’s wallet and run off.
“I noticed it, so I ran after him, but stayed on the other side of the street. I ran for 300 metres, the mugger left the wallet under a car, but I saw him.
“I chased him down and brought him back to the restaurant, avoiding the ire of the people around there.
“I told the restaurant owner to call the police and we brought the wallet back to the lady. She was in tears and thanked me, as the wallet was full of money.
“At that point, seeing as the situation had been resolved, my brother and I left.”