This was the moment a man gave a bizarre excuse when caught red-handed trying to steal a car tire on August 6.

Owner of the vehicle Mr Angel captured the man on video as he is seen sitting on the curb using a jack to remove the car parts.

When being confronted the would-be thief denies any wrongdoing and claims he was "borrowing" the tire and would bring it back later in the day.

After Angel's confrontation, the man escaped in his car that had no licence plate and THREE wheels.

On August 6th, A man in San Diego, US was in for a surprise when he returned to his parked car and found a tire missing ... and the theft still on the scene.

Mr Angel, the owner of the vehicle, had returned from walking around a nearby skate park, only to find a man sitting on the curb in the process of stealing one of his rear tires in broad daylight. "I still can't believe he had the audacity to argue," the man noted after he had approached the individual asking what he was doing. The theft denied all wrongdoing before leaving behind the tire, jumping in to his own car (with only three wheels and no license plate) and driving off.

The man noted that several of neighbours had seen the same man stealing other tires, which explains the amount of tires in the back of his truck. The police are still looking for the suspect.