A bag snatcher was yesterday chased down and apprehended by two men in Floriana.

A 42-year-old man from Valletta took a bag from a 74-year-old woman in St Francis Street at about 12.30pm, the police said.

He was pursued on foot by two impromptu crime-fighters and caught near bay 7 at the Arriva bus terminus.

Three police cars were quickly on the scene.

The thief had a bloodied nose and the police waited for several minutes while he attempted to stop the bleeding with tissues and recover his composure.

He was then arrested and taken away in a police car, watched by a curious crowd of Arriva employees and passengers. A police spokeswoman said at 5pm yesterday that the man was still being questioned. She was unable to confirm whether the handbag had been recovered. The woman was treated for slight injuries at a health centre.