Dramatic footage shows the moment a “sneaky” thief stole items worth thousands in an audacious bag swap in a pub, before he was chased down by officers.
Mohamed Hade, 32, had been spotted by plain-clothed officers coming out of a Farringdon pub with a different bag than the one he entered with.
The incident, on March 19, saw Hade leave the pub in the direction of New Bridge Street and another venue before officers swooped and arrested him for theft.
Hade, from Harlesden, stole a bag containing a laptop with a value of £1,700. He was caught on CCTV inside the pub switching bags with a person from the table next to him.
Then, CCTV footage from the street shows Hade being chased down by plain-clothed officers. Bodycam footage also shows the moment the thief was handcuffed.
In the pub, the victim realised his bag had been taken and was about to file a police report, when officers suddenly arrived with his recovered belongings, which were returned to him.
“Opportunistic crimes such as bag and phone thefts can severely impact victims,” said Sergeant James Wood, of the Proactive Acquisitive Crime Team at the City of London Police. “The Proactive Acquisitive Crime Team’s expertise in spotting criminals preying on people out in the City have resulted in a number of arrests and prosecutions.”
Sergeant Wood added that his team will “continue to disrupt and target these criminals” with operations conducted by plain-clothed officers.
He said this involves “intelligence work and the use of our extensive CCTV network across the City, which also assists us in identifying offenders”.
He added: “People shouldn’t worry about having their bags stolen while out, but professional criminals will seize any opportunity to take your belongings. We urge vigilance and to report anything suspicious to the police.”
Following the theft, Hade pleaded guilty at Central London Magistrates’ Court to one count of theft from the person. He was jailed for three months.
