A shoplifter has been detained outside a shop in the US city of Albuquerque after trying to outrun horse-mounted police officers.

Albuquerque police bodycam video shows a dark-brown horse trotting through a parking lot behind a man in black clothing.

The horse catches up to him within seconds and witnesses yell “go get him, go get him.”

“It wasn’t me,” the man yells as he leads the horse and police officer into the street, stopping traffic.

The man then finds himself surrounded when two more police officers on horses arrive at the scene, the video shows.

One of the officers dismounts from his horse and handcuffs the man, who has been charged with stealing $US230 worth of merchandise from Walgreens, according to the Albuquerque Police Department.

In a post by the police department, it said they pursued a 30-year-old man who “would not comply with officers and took off on foot”.

The post said the Albuquerque Police Department was working a “Tac plan” in the area when they were notified by a nearby Walgreens that someone had stolen from the business. 

He was charged with shoplifting, evading police on foot and possession of drug paraphernalia.

AP