Police search for ‘Karate Kid’ thief who used ‘crane pose’ before snatching purse

Police are searching for a man who posed like the Karate Kid before making off with a woman’s purse at a South Carolina gas station on Saturday.

Swansea police released still images of the Mr. Miyagi wannabe, showing the suspect performing the “crane” pose in the middle of a BP gas station.

There, standing on this left leg, with this right knee raised and bent, while wearing jeans and an orange shirt, the bald-headed man seemed to channel his 1984 self by getting into the stance that sensei Mr. Miyagi teaches protégé Daniel LaRusso in the film.

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“As you’ll see in the screen shots this subject likes to perform Mr Miyagi’s Crane Technique made famous by Daniel LaRusso in the All Valley Under 18 Karate Championship,” police said on social media.

Police alleged the man stole a purse from another vehicle shortly after performing the crane-kick pose for some time, saying the man “has a unique ritual he uses before he commits a larceny.”

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Police used the hashtag #MrMiyagiWouldntApprove and #NotTheNextKarateKid.

Wax on wax off, South Carolina man.