Video: Child caught on camera stealing mobile phone

This is the moment a child stole a mobile phone from a hairdresser who was being distracted by the pickpocket's father.

The father was caught on CCTV walking into a salon with the young boy - who appears to be six or seven-years-old - and another accomplice.

The man can then be seen distracting stylist Kirsty Robinson, 26, while she was busy straightening a client's hair.

While he speaks to her, the 3ft-tall boy then positions himself behind Kirsty and pinches the phone after being in the salon for 30 seconds.

The youngster - who is wearing a beige coat with a distinctive red hood - then pockets the mobile before they make their escape.

The scam took place at Reflections hair salon in Retford, Nottinghamshire, last Friday at around 2.50pm.

Ms Robinson said: 'They were in and out within 90 seconds. When they left we were talking about them saying they were dodgy and my client said they were eyeing everything up.

'One of the girls joked "let me check they haven’t nicked my money".

'And I turned around to do the same and just gasped ‘my phone is gone’.

'I couldn’t believe somebody could use their child in such a way, what kind of life is that young boy going to lead?

'They didn’t speak very good English, it was broken, we think they were Turkish or Romanian.

'But wherever they were from it doesn’t matter - they are complete lowlifes and it is truly disgusting that they can go around doing this.'

Kirsty, who has worked at the salon for six years, has already had 5,500 shares of the video of the theft after posting it on Facebook.

Her mother Sharon Tuplin, 52, who has run the salon for six years, branded the thieves 'lowlifes' and said she hoped sharing the video would lead to the thieves being caught.

She added: 'It was disgusting what they did.

'They had came with his son and another lad and while one distracted our junior salon assistant, the youngster goes behind Kirsty and just swipes her phone.

'They had been lingering around other shops too, so they were obviously trying it on.

'The man, I can only assume was his dad, was asking about having colour put in his hair while the lad brazenly swipes the phone.

'Its despicable that kids this age are doing such things and you’ve got to look at the parents really.

'These idiots need catching and quick, the phone has gone but we don’t want it to happen to anybody else.'

A spokesman for Nottinghamshire Police appealed for any information or witnesses to come forward.

He said: 'We received a report of a theft of a phone at Reflections hair salon in Chapelgate.

'The theft happened at around 2.50pm on Friday January 17. Our enquiries are ongoing.'

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

Tags: