Caught on camera: Phone thief nabbed seconds after striking
This is the dramatic moment a thief fled with a mobile phone - seconds before being pinned against a shutter by fast-moving police.
Police have been unable to find the victim of the theft and released the images in an effort to find him.
Footage shows the thief striking suddenly on Birmingham's Smallbrook Queensway, outside the LGBT centre, where the victim was sat down next to railings.
After taking the phone, he runs away but was arrested next to the SBQ2 building nearby.
The 27-year-old suspect, from Sheffield, was detained within seconds of the offence being committed after being tracked in real-time by city centre camera operators and is currently on bail.
Dc Jonathan Gill, from Birmingham Central police station, said: "The footage clearly shows a victim sat down next to some railings on Smallbrook Queensway, just outside the LGBT centre, as someone grabs a mobile phone from their hands.
"It may be that the victim had been drinking, as it happened in the early hours of Saturday morning and perhaps they therefore couldn't remember the phone being taken. This is, however, just a theory and the reality is that we don't know why they haven't come forward.
"Whatever the reason may be, I would urge that person to contact us so that we can get them the justice they deserve."
It happened at around 5.40am on Saturday November 30. It is not known whether the victim was a man or a woman.
Anyone with information is asked to call Birmingham CID on 101.
