Listed: Sheffield businesses allegedly due to be targeted by suspected bogus charity collector

CCTV captured the dramatic moment bodybuilders at Muscle Madness Bodybuilding Gym made a citizen's arrest of a man who allegedly tried to steal from them.

The man, dressed in a Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice t-shirt and carrying a donation bucket, walked in to the Attercliffe gym on Monday asking for donations.

However, after the gym owners became suspicious, they invited him back at 5pm before holding him to the floor until a team of police officers swooped to arrest him.

Staff at the gym have since published a picture on their Facebook page claiming to show a list of businesses the suspected conman had or intended to visit.

Included in the list are the Old Crown in Handsworth with a date of 9.15 on Thursday penned next to it and Elmwood in Woodhouse on Tuesday or Sunday night.

The Red Lion in Todwick was penned in for Friday evening as well as the Millhouse in Worksop on Friday at 6pm.

Powerleague was scheduled for Wednesday at 6pm, the Red Lion in Gleadless and a cafe in Kelham Island on Saturday.

Footage of the man's arrest has made national headlines and Helen Mower, head of fundraising for Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice, has praised the gym members for their actions

She said: "We’d like to say a big thank you to the gym members for suspecting this was not a genuine collection. We cannot praise their vigilance highly enough.

"Bluebell Wood doesn’t carry out door to door collections and we always ask anyone fundraising for us not to do these. We only do bucket collections at venues after we have got their permission in advance.

"We also give all our bucket collectors an official letter of authority."

Gym owner David Grubb said he became suspicious when the man couldn't provide proper identification and invited him back at 5pm when more gym members would be available to donate.

He then called police and the hospice who allegedly confirmed there was a bogus caller in the area before the man returned and was arrested by police.

Mr Grubb, a father-of-five of Rotherham, said: "He chose the wrong gym. I'm not having people stealing from us."

The gym has since launched a fundraising page for Sheffield-based Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice - which cares for children with a shortened life expectancy in South Yorkshire - and it has so far raised more than £350 towards a £1000 target.

To donate visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Musclemadnessgymsheffield?utm_id=26