Two brazen pickpockets are caught on camera targeting shoppers in a Covent Garden boutique - even swiping items from a pram.
Sofiya Inanova, 23, and Totka Dimitrova, 48, use t-shirts and dresses from the racks to mask their movements as they dip into handbags and coat pockets. In just ten minutes, they manage to steal hundreds of pounds.
Undercover police followed the pair from the nearby Tube station after seeing them acting suspiciously on July 29.
They entered a fashion shop in Covent Garden and immediately targeted unsuspecting customers, attempting to pickpocket items from their bags. One victim was on a shopping trip with a baby in a Bugaboo.
Officers then moved into to arrest the duo, and confronted them with the damning CCTV.
Inanova, of Edmonton, pleaded guilty to four counts of attempted theft and was jailed for 18 weeks at Central London Magistrates’ Court the next day.
Dimitrova, also of Edmonton, admitted three charges of attempted theft and also received an 18-week prison sentence.
Both women, originally from Bulgaria, were ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £122.
Detective Inspector Tim Weeks, of British Transport Police, said: “This was a great example of how our plain-clothed teams catch offenders and secure custodial prison sentences, often within 24 hours.
“Both defendants attempted to mask their tricks, however they were clearly unaware they were being trailed by our skilled team of officers. The CCTV footage show just how brazen this pair of pickpockets are.
“They arrogantly target customers within the space of ten minutes, even targeting an unsuspecting mother with a pram.”
This week, BTP is targeting pickpockets at stations and on trains across London. Operation Farrier has seen more than 100 uniformed and plain-clothed officers going after thieves stealing from passengers using the rail network in London.
Police have been spotting suspicious behaviour, carrying out arrests on wanted suspects and offering advice to passengers on how to avoid the most popular pickpocketing techniques.
Superintendent Lisa Garrett said: “Throughout the year, we work tirelessly to prevent pickpocketing and thefts but at this time of year when there are more visitors to London, we see a rise of these types of offences.”
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