A pregnant woman has been captured on camera running over a thief who reportedly stole her handbag in a car park in North Carolina.

The dramatic footage shows 26-year-old Christine Braswell chasing down the suspect and striking him with her SUV outside a Walmart in Asheville.

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She allegedly confronted the man, identified as Robert Raines, on Wednesday afternoon (28 June) after he snatched her bag from her car.

"He was with my purse and he took off and I took off after him," she told WLOS-TV.

"Me being five months pregnant, I chased a little ways then came back, jumped in the car, threw it in gear and came across the curb and ran him over. I was not going to let him get away with it."

Raines only received minor injuries and faces charges of breaking and entering, larceny and property damage.

Braswell faces as misdemeanor charge of assault with a deadly weapon.