Queensland grandfather performs citizen's arrest on alleged home invaders

EXCLUSIVE: A group of alleged youth criminals has had a crime spree cut short as a Cairns grandfather performed a citizen’s arrest inside his own home.

Winnie Vaili forced a 15 year-old boy to sit and wait, pinning him to the ground as he waited for police to arrive.

Mr Vaili, his wife, seven children and two grandchildren were woken about 4am today when the teenagers allegedly broke in.

The grandfather chased two teenagers, pinning one of them to the ground.

“I had him pinned here with his face and the second one’s come with the knife” he told 9News.

‘My wife and I were in bed with our youngest child. We could hear a bit of a thumping, felt someone run past us.

“The first offenders run out and the second one’s attempted to get away, [I] managed to get a good spear tackle in there and pin him down.”

Mr Vaili’s wife, Angela, recalled the moment one of the teenagers allegedly turned on her, while armed with a knife.

“I looked up and I’ve seen the other offender come back with a knife and was just coming towards me,” she said.

Two other teenagers were waiting in an allegedly stolen getaway car.

Three teenagers are outstanding.

The 15-year-old boy taken down by Mr Vaili in the citizen’s arrest was arrested by police, who arrived on scene within minutes.

He was charged with five offences and will front the Cairns Childrens Court tomorrow morning.