The criminal, who had fled after being convicted of drugs offences and attempted assault on an official, is now safely in police custody.

The off-duty officer who arrested him has been praised by his colleagues in the Rinkeby district of Stockholm, Sweden.

Christoffer Bohman, the district’s deputy police chief, told state broadcaster SVT: “It’s easier to take action when you have your colleagues with you, and all your tools and equipment. This was as stripped-down as it gets.”

The officer is set to receive overtime pay for his naked arrest, the district confirmed on Facebook.