A thief who was tackled and even photographed by his elderly victim was arrested on Sunday, the police said.

The woman, who is in her 60s and lives in Triq Dun Filippu Borg, Birkirkara, heard noises in her house around 10.30am only to find out a stranger roaming around. 

Writing on Facebook, her daughter said she questioned the thief and "tackled him" as he held her purse, even managing to take his picture through her mobile phone. For some reason, the man did not flee the home when he was noticed.

She also claimed this was the second time he had attempted to break into the home of her mother, a widow.

"Please circulate and make people aware as next time he could be armed and be breaking into an elderly woman's home who can't defend themselves like my mum," Liz Neal wrote.

When contacted, the police said the man was arrested within minutes of the report being filed.

The daughter said that her mother was fine and grateful and overwhelmed by the concern shown towards her.