WATCH: Dancing thief strips Rolex watches from unsuspecting victims

Abdelhadi Bahou-Jabour was captured on camera breaking into an unusual routine to distract victims before stealing their Rolex watches.

Officers released CCTV footage showing the 24-year-old approaching a couple, in Colmore Row, at midnight on July 10.

He struck up banter, high-fiving the pair before launching into the moves that sees him move close to the woman before flicking out his leg and within seconds he slipped her £9,000 watch off her wrist.

But he failed to pull off a similar move on her male partner.

He was then seen on street cameras jogging off into St Phillip’s Cathedral grounds where he came across another woman also wearing a Rolex.

He approached her singing “It’s Coming Home” before grabbing her and trying to snatch her watch, but this victim resisted, resulting in the criminal twisting her arm taking the watch worth £4,700 and running away with it.

The defendant was identified after city centre officer Pc Mat Evans carried out an extensive trawl of camera footage and uncovered a clear image of the offender.

He was spotted in New Street weeks later where he was arrested and charged.

Bahou-Jabour admitted to two robberies and one attempted robbery at Birmingham Crown Court. The 24-year-old is due to be sentenced on October 6.

Pc Evans, said: “This technique, where a criminal dances with their victim to distract them, has been referred to as the ‘Ronaldinho’ after the famous dancing footballer.

“Normally pickpockets try to steal using stealth so you won’t even feel it. 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.

“This is not a skill you pick up overnight, it requires many hours of training and practice to perfect, and is very effective.

“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.

“I would always advise people to be on their guard when on a night out, as professional pickpockets are just as active then as they are during the day. The best protection you can have is to recognise the signs of how pickpockets do what they do, get away from them, and raise the alarm.”

The defendant, 24, of Nottingham, will be sentenced on October 6.

As part of the investigation his mobile phone was checked and images of his associates Abdul Boychaala and Hussen Ehab, of Nottingham, who were both jailed last month for similar offences against students whose mobile phones had been stolen using the same leg locking moves in the county.