Shocking moment when a small child steals a coffee shop employee’s phone while the victim is distracted by a scheming mother
- Video shows a child apparently stealing an employee’s phone at a coffee shop in London
- The child’s mother appears to be organizing a ‘dispute’ about change, which distracts the staff
A shocking video shows the moment when a child appears to steal a phone from a coffee shop employee in an apparent scam spearheaded by her mother.
The incident occurred yesterday at a coffee shop in Lewisham, south-east London, after the child’s mother appeared to distract a maid and her colleague by asking for change.
The distraction allows the child to sneak in and swipe the mobile, before the pair quickly leave the store with the staff oblivious to what has happened right under their noses.
At the beginning of the clip, the mother is standing with the child at the counter of the coffee shop, chatting with an employee.
The member of staff appears to be counting notes for the woman who distracts her by seemingly giving more change and questioning the amount she is receiving.
Footage from a coffee shop in South East London’s Lewisham shows a child appearing to steal an employee’s phone
The mother appeared to stage a ‘dispute’ with staff over change, at one point even stepping behind the counter – giving the child a chance to swipe the phone
The woman then takes the notes in her hand before gesturing around the coffee shop as if trying to distract the server.
As the woman continues to negotiate for two cans of juice, she walks up to the two coffee shop employees and points to a display case of pastries behind them.
The duo look away as the small child, dressed in a blue coat, sneaks up to the counter and quickly slides the phone off the counter in an instant-and-you-miss-it moment.
He then walks away from the counter and unzips a bag around his waist, trying to slip the phone in without getting caught.
His mother, apparently aware of his successful theft, quickly gives up her trade with the workers and places a hand on the back of her son’s head, leading him out of the shop with their ill-gotten gains.
The video was shared on social media yesterday with the caption: ‘This happened today in Lewisham, exchange scammers and little one stealing the phone.’
As the child appears to put the phone in a bag, the mother quickly leads them out of the store
The post received hundreds of likes and dozens of people were amazed at the actions of the youngster and mother.
One of them said: ‘Shameful really, but Romanians in London always use children, sad that children are taught this at such a young age.’
Another added, “That poor child. Wow.’
A third replied, “That’s outrageous.”
Another commented, “Madness out there at that age.”
According to data from the Met Police, more than 90,000 phones were stolen in London last year, which equates to more than 250 phones a day.