A GOLD Coast tradie who crash-tackled an alleged criminal fugitive on a Glitter Strip bridge after a wild police chase.

The suspect, Akin Sen, 40, was intercepted in a dramatic citizen's arrest at Mermaid Waters on Thursday morning.

A local plumber, known only as Ian, was walking his dog on the bridge and launched at Sen as he allegedly fled from police.

The tradie tackled Sen to the ground and held him until cops arrived.

Ian was high-fived by police and hailed a hero by witnesses but has humbly dismissed the praise.

"I'm no hero or anything like that," he told Seven News.

Ian said he acted instinctively after seeing the suspicious-looking character with a mullet, bum bag and wearing a long-sleeved shirt on a hot day run past.

"He goes 'just let me go' and I said 'no'. Then he stood there."

Sen was not brought from the watch-house when his matters were briefly mentioned in Southport Magistrates Court on Friday.

The court heard Sen was on a return to prison warrant and duty lawyer Linda Cho did not apply for bail.

The ordeal started when officers patrolling through Mermaid Waters noticed an allegedly stolen white Toyota Hilux utility parked on Lakeview Boulevard about 8.30am Thursday.

In a bid to escape the four wheel drive allegedly rammed a police car and reversed into another.

Stingers were used to deflate the ute's tyres. The vehicle was soon dumped and the driver allegedly fled on foot.