St Pancras diner targeted by rucksack thief who is now behind bars

A man who targeted diners at St Pancras station and stole a rucksack has been jailed just a day after being caught in the act.

Hossein Rabah, 34, from Hackney in London, was detained by British Transport Police officers in plain clothes on the evening of 4 January after being seen inside the busy station. He appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court the following day, where he admitted a single charge of theft and was sentenced to 36 weeks in prison.

Officers had observed Rabah circulating the station while appearing to look for potential victims before he headed into the Kineya Mugimaru restaurant. CCTV later showed him positioning himself behind a man and woman who were eating a meal.

Moments later, Rabah bent down, removed the man’s rucksack with care and walked away from the restaurant, unaware that he was being watched. Plain clothes officers moved in immediately, arresting him and returning the bag to its owner.

BTP Sergeant James Ashby said:

“Rabah roamed St. Pancras station looking for any opportunity to steal, but he was completely unaware that our eagle-eyed officers were attuned to his plan. As shown in the CCTV footage, it’s no coincidence that we were able to strike the moment Rabah committed his crime. Thankfully he is now behind bars, and the victim was immediately reunited with his bag which contained around £600 worth of his possessions. Our officers are in key locations on the rail network every day in plain clothes, so even if you don’t see us, we are there keeping you and your belongings safe. If you spot someone acting suspiciously as you travel, please report it to us by texting 61016.”

Image: British Transport Police