A bungling car thief saw his attempted robbery foiled – when he realised he didn’t know how to drive.

It happened in the Kemerovo region when the man, a passenger in a taxi, wielded a knife and demanded the driver give him his money and cell phone. When they were handed over, and with everything seemingly going to plan, the man tied up his victim and put him in the boot of the car.

But things started to unravel as it emerged the thief hadn’t thought things through. He had to release the driver twice to help him make an escape. The first hitch was starting the engine. And then there were more problems when he admitted he didn’t know how to drive – but wanted to learn.

But the master class didn’t last long. When the hijacker spotted another vehicle on the road, he jumped out of the car and ran away.

But worse was to come for the hapless carjacker, as it took the police less than an hour to track him down and arrest him. He is also a suspect in several other crimes.