This is the moment a motorcycle taxi rider throws his helmet in a thief’s face and prevents him from stealing a colleague’s motorbike.

The incident was filmed in the municipality of Jaboatao dos Guararapes in the north-eastern Brazilian state of Pernambuco on 11th February.

According to the news site Vanguardia, the motorcycle taxi rider, name not disclosed, saw a thief stealing his colleague’s motorbike and instinctively threw his helmet at the fleeing man, knocking him off the vehicle and foiling the robbery.

In the footage, the have-a-go hero is seen running along the side of the road before stopping and removing his helmet.

He then faces the road and waits for the suspect to pass on his colleague’s motorbike.

When the man appears, the taxi rider launches his helmet at the man and apparently hits him in the face.

The stunned thief crashes to the tarmac and the motorcycle falls in the middle of the street.

The taxi rider turns and runs as the suspect gets to his feet and apparently reaches for a gun in his beltline before changing his mind.

The suspect then turns and runs from the scene.

The motorcycle taxi driver told local media that he did not even have time to think when he saw the suspect stealing his pal’s motorbike and instinctively launched his helmet at him.

The owner of the motorbike did not report the incident to the authorities. However, the Civil Police (Brazil’s investigative police force) of Pernambuco have confirmed they are investigating the matter.