Moment plain clothes police chase down thief and return bag to its owner before she even realised it was missing

Scottish Sun

15 hours ago

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THIS is the moment plain clothes police chase down a thief and return a bag to its owner before she even knew it was gone.
Shocking CCTV footage show Emad Lechhed steal the valuable accessory outside a pub on Cannon Street, London.
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Emad Lechhed bends down and picks up the bag as if it is his own
Credit: Facebook/City Of London Police
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The 26-year-old calmly walks away from the busy pub
Credit: Facebook/City Of London Police
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Lechhed, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to four months in jail for theft
The 26-year-old scoped out his target, on Martin Lane, and hovered in the area before pinching the bag on June 12.
The clip shows Lechhed, dressed in a Hawaiian shirt, blue jeans, and sunglasses, calmly walk past a bustling pub.
He simply kneels down and picks up a black bag from the floor, as if it belonged to him.
The thief takes advantage of a split second the owner's back is turned from the street.
But, within moments, three plain clothes police officers appear from nearby and chase the yob.
They pursue him through busy streets and navigate congested London roads.
The 26-year-old discarded the item as he was running, before being caught and detained on London Bridge in five minutes.
Inspector Dan Green, of the City of London Police's proactive acquisitive crime team, said: 'The stolen bag, and the contents, was soon returned to the owner, before they knew it was stolen.
'The victim was full of praise for our officers when he got his bag back so quickly and we made an arrest.
'This is another fantastic result from our plain-clothed officers.
'Our warning to criminals; don't come into the City to steal bags. If you do, you risk being spotted by our plain-clothed officers, who will track you down, arrest you and bring you to justice.'
Lechhed, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to four months in jail for theft.
He was also slapped with a criminal behaviour order which prevents him from entering the Square Mile for two years.
This comes as other shocking moments have been caught on camera across the UK.
This is the wild moment all hell breaks loose after Morrisons shopper launches items at customers at self-checkout desks.
The dramatic footage depicting staff breaking up the brawl, was captured inside an Eccles store, in Salford, Manchester, on June 3.
It shows a woman hurling items in her basket through the air in front of horrified onlookers.
Someone can be heard yelling "you stupid b****" as the irate shopper continues to throw products.
Concerned Morrisons staff attempt to jump in and diffuse the situation with help from security guards.
But the disturbing scene escalates after the woman kicks another customer, throwing her to the floor.
Elsewhere, a cyclist was filmed tearing between traffic with a child clinging to his back before going the wrong way through a roundabout.
Concerning footage showed the man riding in a cycle lane on Springfield Road, in west Belfast, with the youngster on his back.
The child, who didn't appear to be wearing a helmet or any protection padding, was riding piggyback style.
At one point the little one, donning a short sleeved red top and beige shorts, flung their legs out to the side - barely clinging on as they gripped the man's neck.
Plus, watch the shocking moment a knifeman lunged at cops after biting his victim's ear off.
The disturbing scenes unfolded after a robbery went wrong at a property in Leicester on July 8 last year.
Dramatic body-cam footage shows Costel Remus Galoi lunging at police with a kitchen blade.
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Three plain clothed police officers chase the thief down
Credit: Facebook/City Of London Police