A woman’s stolen purse was found after a man in a Batman costume chased a suspected thief and recovered it for her. Of course, this being 2026, parts of the incident were captured on TikTok.
It happened during a recent night out in the United Kingdom when a group of friends dressed as superheroes witnessed a purse snatching in Norwich after an argument occurred in the line to enter a nightclub.
Sonni Mason, the Batman, was joined in the chase by friends who were also dressed as comic book characters, including Mister Fantastic from the Fantastic Four, and Poison Ivy, according to the Guardian.
Prior to catching up to the alleged thief, the costume-clad friends informed a group of police officers of what had happened. However, when they caught up to him, the suspect no longer had the purse.
The bag was later found on top of a tall stone wall on the outside of Norwich Cathedral, around 300 meters from the scene of the theft. After several unsuccessful attempts to get the bag down, Mason—who was still dressed as Batman—climbed the wall and retrieved it. He then gave the purse back to its appreciative owner, who said everything was still inside of it.
The conclusion of the chase was shared on TikTok
“On a night out for a friends birthday, someone swiped someone bag over a pack of cigarettes out of spite …. myself as Batman, Poison Ivy, Mr Fantastic and various other heroes chased him down,” Mason wrote in the comments of a TikTok video of him retrieving the purse.
The 25-year-old added in the caption: “Be kind, be selfless, be brave, be Batman.”
“I hope I can inspire people to be a little bit more like Batman. Not so much the running around in the dark in a costume but helping others out. I didn’t expect to be scaling up a wall,” he told SWNS news agency. “Everyone needs a little bit of Batman. You have to be brave, bold and kind. I would hope everyone else would do the same, whether or not they are wearing a cape or a cowl.”
Sonni Mason added, “I just hope more people will be inspired to do the same if they see someone being mugged or feeling uncomfortable on a night out. It shouldn’t take a superhero costume to make you want to do that.”
Whether it’s Batman or Spider-Man, everyone can be a hero
Mason and his friends’ effort in retrieving the woman’s stolen purse is reminiscent of another costumed hero.
This past July, a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man went viral after springing out of his Jeep to rescue a wheelchair-bound man struggling to cross traffic. His efforts caught the attention of the local police department, which lauded his act of kindness.
“Some people say cops are heroes, but even we need a little helping hand,” the Jonesboro Police Department in Arkansas wrote this week about the good Samaritan in a Spider-Man costume. “Earlier today, a citizen needing a little assistance got it in the form of a true superhero. We were able to spot this little web of kindness on our intersection cameras. Thank you, sir, for helping this gentleman reach his destination safely. Whether it’s a red light or green light, there is always time to do what’s right!”