A handsome Australian tourist allegedly seen on CCTV stealing from a shop was caught after his good looks help police identify him.

Fitness-fanatic Joshua Aaron Jerome Madeira, 32, allegedly stole a chicken floss bun and Chinese biscuits from the store in Phuket, Thailand, on March 4. The total cost of the stolen items was 186 THB.

However, the bungling tourist allegedly used a bank account to pay for other small items before leaving the store.

Shopkeeper Nipon Chaengeam, 70, told police he checked CCTV when he realised goods were missing from the shelf and identified Joshua, who was wearing a tight t-shirt.

The grandfather told officers that the tourist was 'remarkably good looking' and he was surprised he stole anything from the shop.

Police checked the bank transaction and identified Joshua before tracking him down on social media. His images were used to warn locals in the area to keep a lookout for the handsome foreigner, who was seen in a vest exposing his chiselled torso.

Joshua was arrested on Wednesday evening March 16 in neighbouring Krabi province after locals recognised him and officers matched him to the person on the arrest warrant. He allegedly confessed to being the snack thief as seen in the CCTV, shoving a snack box inside his pants.

He said: ‘I am the person in the video. I have been stressed as I have many problems in my life so that's why I did it. I am ready to apologize to the shop owner for what I have done.’

Shopkeeper Nipon identified Joshua and claims he had also stolen from his shop in January. He said that several snacks worth around 228 THB had gone missing.

The grandfather also told police his shop was targeted on March 13 by a second tourist and a Thai woman. CCTV sows the man shoving a protein cookie jar worth 135 THB and a chicken floss packet worth 149 THB in his trouser and walking out of the store without paying for the products.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Sakchai Choonyong said: ‘An arrest warrant was issued after police investigated and identified the foreign man.

'He was recognisable from his appearance and he was identified after we made an appeal to find him.

'The Australian man has been charged with theft. He will be delivered to Phuket and be prosecuted.’