A suspected shoplifter caused chaos in east London after allegedly stealing blocks of cheese from a Co-op supermarket before bizarrely crawling underneath a bus and confronting police officers trying to arrest him.
Nathan Williams, 32, from Ilford, is accused of filling a bag with Cathedral City cheddar cheese at a Co-op outlet in Walthamstow on May 22 before casually walking out of the store.
According to reports, Williams was later seen carrying a broken wine bottle while walking down the middle of Forest Road near Blackhorse Lane.
In a bizarre turn of events, the suspect then rolled underneath a Route 230 bus heading toward Upper Walthamstow.
A Co-op employee reportedly alerted nearby police officers patrolling the Waltham Forest area, leading officers to the scene where Williams was found lying beneath the bus.
Video footage circulating online showed police attempting to negotiate with the suspect as he allegedly threw packs of stolen cheese at officers while lying on his back underneath the vehicle.
Authorities also claimed Williams assaulted an emergency worker during the chaotic confrontation.
Two members of the public later stepped in to help officers pull the suspect from beneath the bus and restrain him until additional police units arrived outside Canvas Walthamstow, where the arrest took place.
The unusual incident quickly attracted attention online, with many social media users stunned by the bizarre behaviour and unusual choice of stolen items.
Williams has since been charged with shop theft and assaulting an emergency worker.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed he is scheduled to appear before Thames Magistrates’ Court on May 25.
In a statement, police said officers on patrol had been flagged down by a shop employee who reported a man stealing items from the store before the dramatic arrest unfolded nearby.
The Co-op has yet to publicly comment on the incident.
