Bizarre Dance Used as Distraction in Nottingham Phone Theft
Police in Nottingham are hunting a suspect who performed an extraordinary dance routine before stealing a man's mobile phone. The incident, captured on CCTV, shows the thief using an unusual method to distract his victim.
Nottinghamshire Police have released a clear image of a man they wish to speak to in connection with the theft. The force believes the suspect pretended to be intoxicated as part of a calculated ploy.
The Unusual Theft Method
The CCTV footage shows the suspect approaching the victim on the street and greeting him with a fist bump. After engaging in conversation, the suspect then launched into a bizarre dance.
The dance involved the thief placing his leg between the victim's legs and jumping up and down. Officers believe this strange performance was designed to distract attention from the actual theft taking place.
Inspector Paul Gummer of the City Centre neighbourhood policing team confirmed that the suspect's movements were traced to a nearby McDonald's branch minutes before the incident. "He does not appear to be intoxicated on the McDonald's CCTV just minutes before the theft but gave that impression when he was with the victim," Inspector Gummer stated.
Police Warning to the Public
Police have identified this as a distraction theft and are warning the public to be particularly vigilant during the festive period. Inspector Gummer provided crucial context about this type of crime.
"Distraction thefts of this nature have happened in the past – not just in Nottingham but across the country," he explained. "It is common for the offender to claim the strange dance is a traditional cultural dance from their country. To be clear – it is absolutely not a cultural dance – it's a cynical attempt to distract attention away from the victim's pockets."
The police are encouraging people to watch out for this brazen crime, particularly protecting those who might be "slightly too merry" to recognise what's happening to them. Anyone with information about the suspect is urged to contact Nottinghamshire Police.
