Tasmanian jiu-jitsu champion and former professional bodybuilder Darran Petty foils car theft attempt at Kingston home

Crouching tiger, hidden car thief. A champion jiu-jitsu competitor and former professional bodybuilder has foiled a brazen break-in at his home. What went down.

Darran Petty with medals won by himself and other members of Trojan Academy at the recent national jiu jitsu titles. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

A jiu-jitsu champion and former professional bodybuilder has foiled an apparently brazen car theft attempt at his Kingston home the day after winning a national title.

Darran Petty, 42, owner of Trojan Jiu-Jitsu Academy at Huntingfield and fresh off a flight from winning gold at the Australian Jiu-Jitsu Championships in Melbourne at the weekend, woke on Monday night at 10pm to a “man having a meltdown and screaming under our house”.

In a post on Facebook, Mr Petty said “this bloke had gotten into my house and was attempting to steal my car”.

Mr Petty then claimed the man appeared “drugged” and “trapped himself in my garage”.

He told the Mercury the man was “obviously distressed” and said if it happened in someone else’s home they would have been “traumatised”.

“He kind of picked the right house and the wrong house,” Mr Petty said.

Mr Petty said rather than approach the man and “hurt the guy”, he called Tasmania Police “to protect him”.

Tasmania Police then “stormed the house” and arrested the man, Mr Petty said.

Mr Petty claimed the man was pepper sprayed inside his car, and was taken into police custody.

Tasmania Police officers arresting the alleged thief at the scene. Picture: Darran Petty/Facebook

Tasmania Police say a 26-year-old man was hit with a string of charges after the alleged break-in, and had allegedly committed other crimes on the same night.

He was charged with motor vehicle stealing, attempted carjacking, aggravated burglary and driving offences.

Around 8.00pm on Monday the man allegedly stole a car from Huonville before driving at speed on the Huon Highway towards Sandfly and Kingston.

He was allegedly involved in several incidents along the highway before being located by police in Mr Petty’s garage.

Mr Petty took out the gold medal in the black belt division at the Australian Jiu-Jitsu Championships in Melbourne at the weekend. Picture: Facebook

Mr Petty said he was glad the situation was dealt with “swiftly with control and patience” and that “Tasmania Police did an amazing job”.

“As the guy was on the ground I just looked him in the eye and said ‘mate, you can do better than this’,” Mr Petty said.

“He looked up and said ‘sorry big fella’.

Mr Petty, as well as being a solid fighter, is a former professional bodybuilder. Picture: Facebook

The jiu-jitsu champion’s post on social media was flooded with comments, with one person saying “It was at that moment he realised he had f---ed up” when the alleged crook realised who the homeowner was.

“Wrong house champ,” another commented.

“Out of all the vehicles to try and steal – one with ‘combat’ written all over it would not have been the smartest move,” a user wrote.

Darran Petty. Pictures: Facebook

“The irony,” another user posted.

Mr Petty took out the black belt division title at the Australian Jiu-Jitsu Championships in Melbourne at the weekend. He is the first Tasmanian to earn the title.

Originally published as Tasmanian jiu-jitsu champion and former professional bodybuilder Darran Petty foils car theft attempt at Kingston home