Car park attendants turned crime fighters when they captured one of Brighton's most prolific car villains.

Stefan Mayr had been released from prison just three days earlier when he was spotted at it again.

NCP patrolman Alan Mack, 46, recognised Mayr as he left the Regency Square car park on Brighton seafront.

Mr Mack followed him and signalled to cashier Chris Rodgers, 44, who asked supervisor Basil Parker to call police.

Mr Rodgers took off his distinctive NCP yellow jacket and took up the pursuit. He caught up with Mayr at a nearby telephone kiosk and Mayr asked if Mr Rodgers had 20p for a call.

Mr Rodgers obliged and when Mayr later left the kiosk he dropped a bag and Mr Rodgers spotted a car stereo inside.

Mr Mack grabbed Mayr as he tried to flee and he and Mr Rodgers escorted him back to the car park.

PC Kelly Chilton searched Mayr and found the stereo and a mobile phone taken from a BMW.

She saw Mayr's case through to Brighton and Hove Magistrates Court where he was jailed for 38 weeks for the offence. He pleaded guilty.

Inspector John Gross, of Brighton police, said: "Chris and Alan did fantastically well and this was a good example of the co-operation police receive.

"Mayr had just been released from prison where he was serving a sentence for a similar offence.

"When we take major players off the streets, car crime goes down dramatically.

"Mayr was a one-man crimewave."

Peter Harvey, NCP's company investigator, said: "We were informed by police that Mayr was back out on the streets and our staff were warned to be on the look-out.

"Crime in car parks was a serious problem but, with the co-operation of the police and the introduction of CCTV and patrols, it has diminished significantly."