Instant karma for 'phone snatcher' who tries to steal Chinese student's mobile in lawless London theft hotspot

A suspected thief got a dose of instant karma aft trying to bargain a mobile telephone retired of the hands of a Chinese pupil connected the streets of lawless London. 

In a abbreviated video clip, uploaded to Red Note, the alleged crook approaches the pupil and starts a speech successful a bid to distract him.

In conscionable a substance of seconds, it appears the antheral has swiped his telephone earlier moving disconnected with the costly instrumentality and into Tottenham Court Road Tube station.

But, what the suspected thief doesn't realise is he's picked connected the incorrect person.

The alleged unfortunate chases aft the man, dressed successful a camel puffer jacket, into the Tube station, down the escalator and onto the platform.

There, a conflict ensues and the suspected telephone snatcher is restrained into a country by the pupil who holds him successful a vice-like grip earlier yet retrieving his phone.

He past guards the alleged thief until before police and Transport for London (TfL) unit get and escort him retired of the station.

Police confirmed to MailOnline that a antheral was arrested connected suspicion of theft successful transportation with the incidental during unreserved hr past Wednesday.

A Met Police spokesperson said: 'Police were alerted connected Wednesday, 7 May to a study of telephone theft successful cardinal London.

'A 28-year-old antheral had alleged his telephone had been stolen betwixt His Majesty’s Theatre and Piccadilly Circus astatine 17:00hrs connected Monday, 5 May.

'The unfortunate retrieved his telephone astatine Tottenham Court Road conduit presumption aft it had been thrown to the ground.

'A 32-year-old antheral was arrested connected suspicion of theft, and has been bailed pending further enquiries, which are ongoing.'

It comes arsenic London has been hit with a telephone snatching epidemic, with the contented reaching situation constituent arsenic victims arsenic young arsenic 4 being targeted.

Figures amusement determination were 22,253 incidents reported telephone snatching incidents successful Westminster unsocial successful the twelvemonth starring up to September 2024, equating to 85.4 thefts per each 1,000 people.

Discussing the problem, Paul, who works by the London Eye, antecedently told MailOnline: 'I spot it each the time. I would accidental each day. It's worst astir this touristy portion of London - peculiarly on Westminster Bridge.

'It happens to tourists a batch due to the fact that they're unaware. I effort to pass them but it doesn't ever work.

'One time, a household asked idiosyncratic to instrumentality a photograph of them successful beforehand of the London Eye. And the feline they chose ran disconnected with their phone.

'Usually though, they travel past connected their bikes and snatch the telephone earlier anyone has a accidental to react. It's a existent issue.'

The 51-year-old said helium sees the aforesaid culprits astatine enactment repeatedly, adding: 'There are groups of them who are present each the time,' Paul said. 'The constabulary cognize astir them.

'I've had them trying to bargain my telephone too. Even though they cognize that I cognize who they are. It's bold.'

Ovye, who works for a autobus circuit company, said the thieves people 'anyone' - and that adjacent children aren't disconnected limits.

He said: 'It tin hap to anyone. I erstwhile saw idiosyncratic snatch a telephone retired of a small girl's manus portion she was taking a picture. She can't person been much than 4 years old. Unbelievable.'

Met Police commander, Owain Richards, told MailOnline: 'We recognize the interaction that mobile telephone theft tin person connected victims – it's an invasive and sometimes convulsive transgression - and we're committed to protecting Londoners and tackling this contented arsenic we marque the superior safer.

'Met officers are targeting resources to hotspot areas, specified arsenic Westminster, Lambeth and Newham, with accrued patrols and plain apparel officers which deter criminals and marque officers much visibly disposable to members of the community.

'We proceed to usage information and exertion to physique quality and way stolen items to people offenders. We are besides moving with telephone firms to 'design out' the quality for phones to beryllium reused and sold connected arsenic we question to dismantle the transgression marketplace that fuels robbery and theft.

'We promote radical to study arsenic soon arsenic they tin whenever they person been a unfortunate of mobile telephone theft, truthful officers tin analyse swiftly.'