Grateful neighbours have hailed Jamie Oliver a hero after the celebrity chef apprehended an “aggressive” burglar.
The TV star, 43, caught the crook trying to break into his home before chasing him down the street and pinning him to the ground until police arrived.
It is believed the would-be thief had tried to break into other homes on the exclusive street.
One impressed neighbour said: “It was just a brave, selfless thing to do.
“Despite the clearly very hairy situation, Jamie was laughing and joking with the coppers saying they’d done a great job to arrive so quickly after the 999 call.
“Everyone is really thankful for his quick thinking and courage.”
A source said of the incident: “It was understandably very scary as Jamie was with the whole family in his house at the time.
"It was an instinctive reaction – he was just trying to do the right thing.”
The burglar had earlier tried to break into other properties on the street in Highgate, North London – including one believed to belong to Kate Moss.
But the raider was spotted as he tried to smash his way into Jamie’s £8.9million, eight-bedroom mansion.
Our source added: “Jamie was alerted to something wrong when he heard a massive commotion coming from his neighbour’s house.
“He was set to investigate but before he knew it, he was face to face with the burglar himself as he tried to smash his way into his house as well.
“Jamie went absolutely mad and sprinted after the man down the street before catching up with him and pinning him down to the floor.
“He was then joined by his driver and a handful of neighbours who helped him hold down the burglar until police arrived to arrest him
“As well as protecting his family, he is very community spirited and cares just as much for the welfare of his neighbours as well. That’s probably why he leapt into action.”
It is not known if supermodel Kate, 44, was at home at the time of the incident.
But a person inside her mansion is said to have disturbed the intruder, who then targeted Jamie’s home.
“The person inside was understandably distressed,” the source added.
Jamie was at home with wife Jools, 43, as well as children Poppy, 16, Daisy, 15, Petal, nine, Buddy, seven, and two-year-old River at the time of the frightening incident on Tuesday evening
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A spokesman for Scotland Yard said: “At 7.13pm on Tuesday, 4th of September, police were called to reports of an aggressive male attempting to gain entry to residential addresses in N6.
"The male was apprehended by members of the public and was subsequently detained by police.
“He was taken to a North London police station where he remains at this time. Officers from Central North Command Unit are investigating.”
Jamie bought his home in 2015 after moving from nearby Primrose Hill, where he owned a £7million pad.
Neighbour Kate bought her £7.2million mansion in 2011. Pop star George Michael, who died in 2016, also owned a property in the same street.
Jamie, currently starring in Channel 4’s Jamie Cooks Italy, shot to fame on the 1999 BBC2 series The Naked Chef and has since sold more than 37 million cookery books.
In recent years he has campaigned to change the nation’s eating habits and headed a drive for healthier school meals. His spokesman declined to comment.
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