A thief proved too slow to get away after throwing chilli powder at a jeweller’s eyes in an attempt to rob gold in India.

The accused, Anand, visited a jewellery shop run in central India's Indore managed by a local jeweller Laveen Soni.

Anand made a trade enquiry posing as a jeweller from another city.

As Laveen was showing him a few ornaments, Anand threw chilli powder at his eyes, snatched the gold and tried to abscond.

Fully expecting Laveen to be blinded and injured he tries to make a run for it, upon trying to leave he is stopped by a passerby who heard Laveen's alarm.

Anand fails to make a proper getaway and was soon captured and subdued, which is shown in further footage.

A local police official, Amrita Singh Solanki, said: “Anand was caught with 50 grams of gold. We are taking action against him based on the shop owner’s complaint and the CCTV footage.”