Father hangs onto roof pursuing car thief

Berlin, Nov 30 (Reuters) A father of two in Germany stunned authorities when he chased down an auto thief by car, leapt onto the roof of the stolen vehicle and then phoned the instructions to police as the crook sped off with him.

Police in the western town of Siegburg said Tuesday the 43-year-old had first called in to say he had spotted the thief by his suspicious driving and was in pursuit -- despite the fact he had his wife and two young children in the car.

The man stopped the thief by crashing into the stolen car, slightly injuring his wife and one of the children.

Then, as the 29-year-old thief put the car in gear and drove off again, the father jumped onto the roof.

''The witness held onto the roof of the vehicle, phoned through his position to the local station and audibly attempted to pacify the car thief,'' police said in a statement.

REUTERS AKJ KP1145