Birmingham dancing thief's 'fancy footwork' caught on camera

A street thief was caught on CCTV using "a bizarre dance" to distract a victim before stealing her £9,000 Rolex watch.

Police said Abdelhadi Bahou Jabour approached a couple in Birmingham on 10 July and struck up banter.

He then broke out in a dance routine described by police as "part Bruce Forsyth, part Artful Dodger" as he slipped off the woman's watch.

Jabour, from Findern Green, Sneinton, Nottingham, admitted two robberies and an attempted robbery.

After failing to steal the man's watch, when it snagged on his cuff, West Midlands Police said the 24-year-old jogged away from Colmore Row.

He soon stumbled across another woman wearing a £4,700 Rolex watch, which he also made off with.

Jabour is due to be sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on 6 October.

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Police said the "nimble-footed" thief's dance moves, which included "grinding up against the woman" and flicking out his leg, proved an effective way of diverting the couple's attention.

Jabour is due to be sentenced on 6 October

"Normally pickpockets try to steal using stealth so you won't even feel it," PC Mat Evans said.

"But this technique uses the opposite approach, using excessive contact to misdirect your attention away from the sensation of having your pockets emptied or, in this case, your watch stolen."

He said it was a skill that took "many hours of training" to perfect.

"I've seen the 'Ronaldinho' technique used before, but this offender's particular dance moves were the most bizarre I've ever seen. Part Bruce Forsyth, part Artful Dodger," PC Evans added

In the second theft of the night, in St Phillip's Cathedral grounds, police said Jabour sang It's Coming Home in an attempt to divert the woman's attention, although she realised something was wrong and resisted.

Jabour then twisted her arm before slipping off her designer watch.

He was spotted in the city centre later in the month and arrested.

His mobile phone was examined and police said pictures of a house party showed Abdul Boychaala and Hussen Ehab, who were jailed for the same ruse.