Rex Hunt bloodied after knuckle sandwich foils thief

Rex Hunt has been labelled a hero after he was left with cuts over his knuckles from a bathroom altercation with a bag-swiping thief.

Rex Hunt in the ring shortly before foiling the crime. Picture: Michelle Winters

Broadcaster and former cop Rex Hunt has been branded “a hero” and “a warrior” after foiling a theft and dishing out bare-knuckle justice at a boxing match in Melbourne.

Hunt, a former Victoria Police senior sergeant, followed an assailant who stole A Current Affair reporter Seb Costello’s satchel as he tried to leave the scene of the crime to inspect the bag.

Costello was calling the Once Upon A Time fight at the Melbourne Pavilion on Saturday, and Hunt worked as a ring announcer.

Former Brighton Mayor John Locco witnessed Hunt’s heroics.

“Rex saw what the thief was doing, and followed him to where he was going to go through the contents of Seb’s satchel,” Mr Locco said.

“The thief went to the toilet and was going through the contents of the briefcase, looking for what might be valuable. In those circumstances, Rex retrieved the satchel, much like Ron Barassi took on a bloke in the street who attacked a woman.”

Witnesses said Hunt’s knuckles had cuts and scratches after the incident.

Barassi was assaulted while coming to the aid of Tessa Green in St Kilda on New Year’s Day, 2009. Travis Raymond Bowling was jailed for six years for the attack.

“Rex Hunt and Ron Barassi are great men, with great character, who do great things.

“All credit to Rex for showing real bloody courage. He’s 72, he’s not well, and he’s got a crook hip. He’s a hero and a warrior.”

The Herald Sun has contacted Hunt for comment.

Rex Hunt (right) in his days as a police officer in 1968.

Costello thanked Hunt for retrieving his bag.

“I was staggered,” Costello said. “I knew the man was an amazing broadcaster, and I thought some of his police stories were exaggerated, but Senior Sergeant Hunt still has it, and he still carries out justice when he sees a crime being committed.

“When I saw my bag was gone, I thought, yibbida yibbida, that’s all folks. Then Rex Hunt stepped in.”

The legendary AFL caller parted ways with 3AW in July.

In a 2017 interview with Hamish McLachlan, Hunt said he left the police force because he

“wasn’t mentally tough enough”.

Hunt said his most terrifying incident was having his own gun fired at him outside the Prince of Wales Hotel in St Kilda.

“I was knocked over the head with something heavy,” Hunt recalled.

“My gun was taken from me. I went around the corner and a bloke fired the gun at me.

“I can remember seeing the flash of the .32 as it went off. I suppose I’m very lucky, unlike other policemen, to be here today talking about it.”