Undercover police officers tackled a phone thief just seconds after he attempted to steal from an unwitting tourist one one of the busiest streets in London.
The dramatic video shows the man following the unsuspecting tourist and attempting to take a mobile phone from his pocket.
Two plain clothes officers then swoop in and take down the thief, catching him red handed.
He was arrested and has now been jailed for 11 months after pleading guilty to theft at Isleworth Crown Court on Wednesday, November 7.
The video was taken near Oxford Circus on Friday, August 30, after officers noticed a man acting suspiciously and paying attention to people’s pockets and belongings.
He was then seen reaching towards the victim and stealing his mobile phone.
Sofian Hadar, 23, of Cricklewood Broadway, was arrested and the phone was returned to its owner, a heart surgeon on holiday from Egypt.
The victim, a heart surgeon on holiday from Egypt, is seen crossing a busy road in a crowd.
Hassan is pictured following closely behind the victim, as they leave a pedestrian crossing
Plain clothes officers tackle Hassan after he is seen trying to steal a phone. Pictured is the officer knelt to the ground after taking down Hassan, who is out of the picture
Sofian Hadar, 23, pleaded guilty to theft at Isleworth Crown Court and was sentenced to 11 months in prison
The Met Police have said in the first half of this year officers have recovered more than 750 stolen phones.
Detective Superintendent Saj Hussain, who leads on phone robbery and theft in the Met, said: ‘Thanks to these observant and fast-acting officers another mobile phone thief has been taken off the streets of London.
‘We understand the impact robbery can have on victims and we also recognise that there is still much more to do to tackle the problem as we make London safer.
‘Met officers are targeting resources in hotspot areas with increased patrols and plain clothes officers – and this result makes clear this approach is having a positive impact.
‘We encourage people to report as soon as they can whenever they have been the victim of a robbery or theft so officers can attend the scene and investigate swiftly.’
As part of the A New Met for London Plan, the Met ay they are improving how they police more precisely, using technology and data to build intelligence and track stolen phones.
This includes using ‘Find my phone’ data to locate vehicles and offenders.
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