Carnage erupted at a London tourist hotspot when screaming and kicking women detained for ‘stealing’ bottles of perfume tried to escape security.
Footage shows the suspected thieves rolling around on the ground and even slapping the men who stopped them outside the luxury Fortnum & Mason department store in Piccadilly.
Three females were arrested following the brawl on Wednesday, December 4, with one of them as young as 14 years old.
In video of the confrontation shouts of ‘she’s a thief’ could be heard while a detained teenager screamed ‘you’re scaring her’, ‘go away’ and ‘let go of us’.
A younger girl was also seen crying and holding onto one of the women she was caught up in the chaotic scenes.
The women were finally taken inside, with one of those being detained reluctantly dragged to her feet.
Police have since confirmed that three people, including a teenager, have been charged with theft following the incident.
A crowd of Christmas shoppers watched the spectacle unfold from Jermyn Street, with footage of the fracas shared by journalist Andy Ngo on social media.
Carnage erupted at a London tourist hotspot when screaming and kicking women were detained for ‘stealing’ bottles of perfume and tried to escape security
Shouts of ‘she’s a thief’ can be heard while a detained teenager screams ‘you’re scaring her’, ‘go away’ and ‘let go of us’
A crowd of Christmas shoppers watched the spectacle unfold from Jermyn Street with some suggesting on social media the footage was so theatrical it looked ‘staged’
Mr Ngo told GB News that he was alerted to the situation after hearing the women screaming in the street
He said: ‘I heard screams ring around and immediately I just thought something’s happening.
‘I saw security trying to apprehend a group of women and immediately what I observed is it looked like the women were quite prepared to respond the way they did which was screaming and rolling around on the ground.
‘I think if it was any other small business there’s no way it would be able to detain them.’
Mr Ngo went on to contrast the situation to America where he claimed ‘they just let them go’ because there is ‘too much that could happen’.
He added: ‘I was surprised to see there are businesses here that do take alleged theft seriously. That is not the case in the US unfortunately.’
The famous store, in Piccadilly, opened in 1707 and has been popular with the royal family in the past, with the late Queen Elizabeth II getting her Christmas shopping there.
It comes as other high-end department stores like Harrods, Selfridges and Harvey Nicholls, face a constant battle with shoplifters who target designer goods, often worth thousands of pounds.
The women are finally taken inside at which point one of the detained is reluctantly dragged to her feet
Fortnum & Mason, Piccadilly, pictured. The famous store opened in 1707 and has always been popular with the royal family, with the late Queen Elizabeth II getting her Christmas shopping there
A Met Police spokesman said: ‘At around 6.15pm on Wednesday, December 4 police were called to a shop in Piccadilly.
‘Security staff had detained two women and a teenage girl who had allegedly concealed perfume bottles while within the store, before leaving and making no attempt to pay.
‘The group tried to make off and dispose of the items when challenged. Security staff restrained them and escorted them back into the store to await the arrival of police.
‘All three were arrested on suspicion of theft and taken into police custody.
‘The following day, they were charged with theft from a shop and bailed to attend court next month.’
The names of those arrested have been confirmed by police as being Marioara Raducanu, 51, of no fixed address; Cristina Marin, 34, of Ealing; and a 14-year-old girl who cannot be named due to her age.
All three were charged with theft and have been bailed to attend Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday January 20.
