A 25-year-old man dressed as Batman helped recover a stolen handbag during a night out in Norwich last Saturday. Sonni Mason, who had traveled from London to attend a friend’s fancy dress birthday party, witnessed the incident outside a bar when a man snatched a woman’s bag following a dispute over a packet of cigarettes.

Mason, accompanied by others dressed as comic book characters including Mister Fantastic from the Fantastic Four, Poison Ivy from the Batman franchise, and Cyclops from the X-Men, pursued the alleged thief through the city streets. The group managed to flag down police officers during the chase. When officers caught up with the suspect, the handbag was no longer in his possession.

Following a tip-off, the stolen bag was located on top of a wall near Norwich Cathedral. After unsuccessful attempts by others to retrieve it, Mason climbed the wall while still wearing his Batman costume and recovered the bag. The handbag was returned to its owner with all of its contents intact.

Mason, who works in a café, said he hoped the incident would inspire others to help one another, emphasizing courage and kindness over the theatrical aspects of his costume. “I didn’t expect to be scaling a wall,” he said, adding that the experience reinforced his hope that people would act to support each other, regardless of whether they are in costume.

Norfolk Police confirmed that officers were approached by a member of the public seeking assistance with the missing bag. They stated that the item was found with all of its contents intact and subsequently returned to its owner.

The event was widely shared on social media, with Mason posting a video of the pursuit on his TikTok account. The footage captured the moment the group chased the suspect and the eventual recovery of the handbag. The friendly group of superheroes who took part in the chase highlighted the spirit of community intervention and cooperation in addressing petty crime.