London theft CCTV: My phone was stolen by pickpocket from right under my nose while dining at restaurant

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
Watch as a woman approaches the pair before placing a poster down on their table and picking Isolde’s phone up with it.

Shocking CCTV footage shows the moment a young woman had her phone stolen by a pickpocket while eating at a restaurant.

Isolde Stephens, 21, was having dinner with her cousin at Xian Biang Biang Noodles in Covent Garden, London when a woman wearing a hat and mask approached them. According to Isolde, the woman began asking for food and after pointing to her plate, covered Isolde's phone with a sign and took her phone from the table.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

When Isolde couldn’t find her phone, restaurant staff checked the CCTV and showed her what had happened.

Pickpocket steals woman’s phone while she eats at restaurant.Pickpocket steals woman’s phone while she eats at restaurant.
Pickpocket steals woman’s phone while she eats at restaurant. | Isolde Stephens / SWNS

Isolde, who was visiting from Amsterdam, Netherlands, said: "I didn't think anything else of it until ten minutes later when I realised my phone was gone. I searched my bags and my pockets and then I remembered her coming over."

“They [the restaurant] said they deal with the woman often and she operates in the area a lot. Once I saw what had happened, I tried running up and down the street to find the woman, but she was nowhere to be seen."

Isolde says she has reported the incident to the police.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.

Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice