Phone snatcher pinned to the ground after being nabbed by undercover officers

A suspected phone snatcher was caught just moments after a man had his phone stolen in central London.

Partygoers in Soho witnessed a dramatic chase after a suspected phone snatcher was caught on Sunday morning.

Footage shows the moment two undercover officers close in on a man on Berwick Street before he is forced onto the ground.

The officers tell the suspect, who is lying on his stomach, to put his hands behind his back.

The man can be heard repeatedly saying ‘I can’t breathe’ while he is being handcuffed.

Another man, thought to be the victim, then appears with uniformed officers in tow.

He appears to be surprised when the officers tell him they have his phone and have caught a suspect, who by this point is sitting up and leaning against the scaffolding.

Met Police said: ‘On Sunday, 23 March at 03:14hrs police were called to Berwick Sweet, W1 following reports of a phone theft.

‘Officers on plain-clothed patrol in London’s West End attended the scene and arrested a male on suspicion of robbery and possession of stolen property.

‘He was later taken to a central London police station where he was questioned and bailed.

‘We are aware of a video circulating of this arrest. The male attempted to avoid arrest and was appropriately restrained. The officers clearly ensured his, the public’s, and the safety of other officers at all times.

‘The phone was returned to the victim and enquires continue.’

London has seen an upturn in phone snatching in recent years, with victims targeted across visitor hotspots and busy streets.

Adele Pearson has had her phone stolen twice while out and about.

The TV producer had her phone first snatched by a man on an e-bike on London Bridge, followed by another theft in a pub just two months after the first incident.

She told Metro previously: ‘She said: ‘I am a double victim, and it’s frustrating it seems like work to stop the phone snatching is only just starting.

‘I still don’t walk down the streets the same way, if I see a tourist with their phone out I go up and warn them.’

The phone-snatching epidemic has turned many Londoner into involuntary heroes as they have tried to stop thieves.

Adele said a group of builders ‘tried to chase the guy down for me but he got away’ when she was targeted on London Bridge.

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