Two prolific bag thieves who stole £2,450 worth of laptops and phones from pubgoers as they enjoyed after work drinks have been jailed.
Daniel Ramzi, 26, and Abderrahim Mamma, 29, carried out a string of brazen thefts at pubs and restaurants across the City of London, making off with £1,950 of valuables in just one day.
The pair were caught on CCTV during one sly stunt leaning over a barrier and grabbing a man’s backpack at the Golden Goose in Leadenhall Market on January 15.
They then pull out a £500 laptop and transfer it into their own bag, before placing the still unaware victim’s rucksack back on the cobbled street and making a swift exit.
That same day, Ramzi and Mamma also pinched a £650 mobile phone from one victim’s coat pocket at a Five Guys in Bishopsgate and made off with a £800 laptop from a man’s bag at the Cross Keys pub on Gracechurch street.
But their crime spree didn’t stop here, as less than a week later Ramzi and Mamma were again caught looting unaware pubgoers from right under their noses.
On January 21, the pair went into the Lord Aberconway on Old Broad Street, where Ramzi slid a bag out from a pile and replaced it with a different bag.
They approached a second group and carried out another bag swap before leaving with a £500 haul.
Prolific bag thieves Daniel Ramzi, 26, and Abderrahim Mamma, 29, are seen on CCTV in the process of stealing a man’s bag outside the Golden Goose in Leadenhall Market
The pair pull out a £500 laptop from the stolen bag and transfer it into their own bag
They swiftly places the victim’s bag back on the cobbled street and make a swift exit. On the same day they also stole a a £650 mobile phone and a £800 laptop from other punters
Ramzi (left) and Mamma (right), both of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to four counts of theft each
Ramzi and Mamma, both of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to four counts of theft each.
Mamma, who also pleaded guilty to an additional seven theft offences outside the City, was sentenced at Inner London Crown Court to 20 months in prison.
He was also handed a Criminal Behaviour Order banning him from entering the City of London for five years.
Ramzi was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court to 14 months in prison.
Sergeant James Wood, of the Proactive Acquisitive Crime Team at the City of London Police, said: ‘This is another great result in seeing two prolific bag thieves behind bars.
‘We hope that these sentences will give reassurance to businesses and members of the public that we take such offences very seriously.
‘Our warning to criminals; don’t come into the City to steal bags. We will bring those committing crimes in the City to justice and we will use all of our resources to help prevent and deter any further criminal activities.’
