Armed police swooped on three people after they tried to steal a cardboard cut-out of Noel Edmonds from a Hastings amusement arcade.
Security guard Tom Brookman spotted two men and a woman in their 20s making off with the life-size figure of the Deal Or No Deal star while drunk.
The 40-year-old chased them for 150 yards and flagged down passing police officers.
He could no
t help laughing as the officers got out armed with guns.
Mr Brookman said: "It was hilarious. It was like the real Noel Edmonds had been kidnapped.
"I caught up with the thieves and got the cut-out back. I had to wrestle with one of the men as he tried to get away.
"I've never seen anything like it. They were so frightened when the police arrived, especially when they saw they were armed."
Mr Brookman was on duty at around 8pm on June 20 at the Flamingo Arcade in The Stade when the trio came in.
He said: "They were paying a lot of attention to Noel. We didn't think anything of it at first as a lot of people come in to take a photo beside the cut-out of him.
"But suddenly the group grabbed him and shot out the door. My colleague shouted to me and I chased them.
"Without a doubt it was hilarious. I was trying to keep a straight face and I think the police officers were as well."
Inspector Martin Mann, of Hastings police, said three suspects, two men aged 22 and a woman, 21, were quizzed about the theft of the £250 cut-out and all given cautions after admitting it was a prank.
He said: "The member of security staff waved down the first police car he saw which happened to be the armed response unit.
"It was quite amusing but at the same time took police resources away from other more serious matters."
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