CCTV footage shows the moment phone thief uses a sheet of paper to distract his victim
Watch the CCTV footage capturing the moment the victim was distracted and her phone stolen
The moment a thief used distraction tactics to steal a woman's phone in a McDonalds has been captured on CCTV.
Nottinghamshire Police have released the footage from the fast-food chain on Milton Street, Nottingham, as they urge the public to remain cautious of similar tactics from thieves.
The woman's phone was removed from the table as the suspect distracted her with a piece of paper, asking her to look at and sign it.
As she looked at the sheet, the thief covered her phone with the paper and stole the mobile device from underneath it.
The man then left the McDonalds in the direction of the Victoria Centre.
Police say inquiries are ongoing as they investigate the incident, which happened on 20 October at 12:15pm.
PC John Searston said: "We’d like to identify the man featured in the footage and would ask anyone who recognises him to please get in touch.
"We would also like to hear from anyone who may have been approached in similar circumstances.
"Having your phone stolen is an immensely upsetting experience and we are doing everything we can to bring offenders to justice.
"We don’t want this to happen to anyone else and so are encouraging people to remain vigilant while they’re out and about and to follow some simple but effective tips to mitigate the risks of their phone being stolen.
"We’d urge people to report any suspicious behaviour to us directly, or venue staff, to ensure we can act upon it."
Police are advising the public to take care and to use the following advice:
If possible, keep your phone out of sight in public areas.
Use a password or pin code on your phone.
When you leave a table or area, even for a short time, always take your phone with you and never leave it unattended.
Don't hand your phone over to a stranger if they ask to use it - instead, if they ask to make a phone, do it yourself.
Stay alert when using your mobile phone and be aware of your surroundings.
If you lose or have your phone stolen, call your network provider and get the phone blocked as soon as possible.
Set up a tracking app on your phone so you can see where it is from another device in the event of it being lost or stolen.
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