Woman subjects thief with natural jiu jitsu instincts in Costa Rica Restaurant

Instinctual Jiu Jitsu comes until he saves during a robbery. A 25-year-old woman turned tables on a so-called thief with the help of which authorities call instinctive martial arts movements, even though they have not had formal training. Sol Vargas Garita faced an attempted theft in a 24-hour restaurant in San Isidro de El General, Costa Rica, on 3 September 2025, wrestle The suspect on the ground and holds him until the police arrived.

The incident unfolds

Vargas had stopped In La Estación, her regular breakfast place, after the end of a night shift when the attack took place in the early morning hours. Security camera images were recorded the moment a man approached from behind and grabbed her handbag while she waited for the counter.

“This guy grabs my bag and I think,” He doesn’t take it, “Vargas told Local media. “I grabbed him, threw him down and honestly, yes – I hit him, let him bleed and everything.”

The security video shows Vargas immediately Fighting back, the thief struggling on the ground before he secured him in some spectators described as a Jiu Jitsu Been Chokehold, a Drieglechoke. She maintained control over the situation while another employee called the police. The suspect sustained face injuries during the fight and was then arrested.

At the time, Vargas had around 100,000 Costa Rican Colones (£ 147) in her bag – money she had worked hard to earn. “I work hard, and nobody is just going to take my things like it’s nothing,” she explained.

The owner of the restaurant, Francisco Bermúdez, expressed surprise about the incident. “I was speechless – it surprised me as much as everyone who saw the video,” he said.

Of course jiu jitsu instinct about training

Perhaps the most remarkable is that the effective Takedown technique from Vargas was completely instinctive. She has no background in martial arts or Jiu Jitsu training.

“My mother says it was a kind of Jiu Jitsu Hold or Brazilian technique or whatever,” laughed Vargas. “But as I told her, I don’t know anything about it. It just came out of me.”

Her mother recognized the movement as on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, but Vargas claims that it was a pure instinct that stimulated her reaction. She almost used a triangle choke, arm bar and came in the entire mountain.

Costa Rica’s crime context

The country registered 1,587 robberies per 100,000 people in 2017, considerably higher than the world average of 105 robberies per 100,000 people. Recent data show that Costa Rica registered nearly 43,000 crimes in 2024, with theft as the second most common violation of 9,759 cases.

San Isidro de El General, where the incident took place, was identified as 113 crime complaints in 2020 Criminal Statistics. Tourist areas in Costa Rica have experienced rising crime rates, with more than 6,300 tourist -related crimes reported in 2024, mainly thefts and attacks.

The effectiveness of martial arts in real situations

Study Show that martial arts training, in particular Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, offers considerable benefits in real-world meetings. The emphasis on leverage and technology over brutal strength makes these disciplines particularly effective for smaller people who are confronted with larger attackers.

Research indicates that most arguments end up on the spot, where traditional striking art can be less effective. The focus of Jiu-Jitsu on land control and entry techniques offers practitioners with tools to neutralize threats without excessive power.

A study by police recruits showed that 98.5% is credited defensive Tactics training, including elements of martial arts, by improving their self -effectiveness in dealing with violent encounters. The training builds both physical possibilities and mental resilience that is essential for situations with high stress.

Public response

After the video went viral on social media platforms, some observers warned about the dangers of confronting potentially armed criminals. However, she believes that the suspect would have immediately unveiled a weapon if he had one instead of trying a simple theft.

The incident was not the first time that Vargas defended himself – she unveiled a man who had bothered her only two months earlier after work, although she chose not to involve the police in that case.

Future Jiu Jitsu -Training plans

Vargas has inspired the experience Follow formal martial arts training. “Now that I know I had the initiative to do these things, I would like to practice some martial art or self -defense, because you never know when something like that could happen,” she said.