Carlton coach Michael Voss a ‘true blue hero’ after tackling alleged hoon in citizen’s arrest in Hawthorn

A 16-year-old boy has been granted bail after allegedly stealing and crashing a Mercedes in Hawthorn in dramatic scenes where Carlton coach Michael Voss made a citizen’s arrest.

Michael Voss leaves the scene with cafe owner James Laskie after chasing down the teen.

A teenage boy held under citizen’s arrest by Carlton Coach Michael Voss following an alleged car theft has been bailed.

Voss has been hailed a “true blue hero” after stopping the ­alleged armed car thief on Tuesday.

Two days after his club scraped into the AFL finals, Voss was waiting for his morning coffee at the Barton Milk Bar in Hawthorn when two alleged hoons crashed a Mercedes opposite the cafe.

The three-time Lions premiership captain rolled back the years with a chasedown tackle on one of the ­alleged thieves, a 16-year-old boy, pinning him down until police arrived.

There was allegedly a knife in boy’s trousers.

Michael Voss has been hailed a hero after chasing down alleged youth offenders in Hawthorn this morning. Picture: 3AW

The 16-year-old boy was charged with theft of motor vehicle and possessing a controlled weapon before being granted bail.

He is set to appear before a children’s court next month on September 24.

Voss was a “true blue hero”, Carlton president Luke Sayers said.

“It doesn’t surprise me ­because he’s that sort of fella,” he said. “He would have done that ­instinctively.”

Witnesses said the Mercedes was driven at high speed, then flipped and crashed into a tree just metres from a school crossing. Two youths inside climbed out and fled.

Cafe owner James Laskie, who was making Voss’s coffee, recounted the moment he and the Blues coach gave chase.

The Mercedes flipped after allegedly taking the roundabout at speed.

“Once the two men got out of the vehicle … they sprinted up the street,” Mr Laskie said.

At one point Voss had both of the alleged hoons in his grip, but one escaped.

“They went into an apartment block, and it’s pretty hectic, and one of them got away, but he (Voss) grabbed the second guy and had him on the floor,” Mr Laskie said.

“I tried to chase after the other guy but he was too fast for me, so we were fortunate enough to get one of them.”

Blues fan and youth crime crusader Bec Judd congratulated Voss for his heroics.

“Great work, Vossy,” the wife of Carlton great Chris Judd posted to social media.

The BMW lays on its side after crashing in Hawthorn.

One onlooker said he believed Voss was lucky he wasn’t stabbed.

“He just showed instinctive courage but he could have been stabbed . . . but he gang wrestled that guy down.”

Voss tried to downplay Tuesday’s 9am heroics.

“It was a bit of action … I was hoping to be on a couple of days’ break but it’s all good here,” he told Nine. “I have spoken to the police but everyone is safe and healthy and that is all that matters.”

Police on the scene of the crash.

Barton Milk Bar cafe owner James Laskie

Witness Hamish Connor disagreed with Voss’s modesty and said he was a “hero”.

“I just saw him catching the two (alleged) culprits and he came back to the corner and took some photos,” he told the Herald Sun.

“He just ran … it was top stuff. I thought he was a hero.”

Police confirmed the Mercedes was stolen from a home in Ivanhoe East on August 21.

They continue to search for the second male offender, who is described as of fair complexion with long blond hair and wearing a black cap, black and white scarf, black hoodie and black pants.