NYPD: Off-duty cop stops subway thief

A fast-acting NYPD officer proved that police officers are never truly off duty.

Last week, Police Officer Scott Marut was waiting on the Q train platform at Union Square while commuting to work when he saw a man hovering over a man asleep on a bench on the platform, the NYPD said on Facebook. Officer Marut noticed that the suspicious man then started to remove a bracelet from the sleeping man's wrist, police said.

That is when Officer Marut identified himself as a police officer, grabbed the man, and stopped him from fleeing. Officer Marut told a commuter to go get help from transit police officers at the station.

Soon, on-duty officers ran down the stairs and arrested the apparent thief, police said. "After the officers searched the perpetrator, more property belong to the victim was found including a sentimental necklace that matched the bracelet," the NYPD said on Facebook.

The victim woke up and repeatedly thanked Officer Marut, police said.

"I'm a police officer--whether on-duty or off-duty," Officer Marut said. "I had to take action.