Video shows 'dancing thief' slip £9,000 Rolex off victim's wrist in blink of an eye

Watch: Video shows 'dancing thief' steal £9,000 Rolex in blink of an eye

The moment a thief performed a bizarre 'Ronaldinho' dance routine in order to distract his victims while he slipped a £9,000 Rolex off a woman's wrist has been caught on camera.

The clip showed Abdelhadi Bahou-Jabour catching the eye of a couple who were embracing on a street in Birmingham.

Through a series of high fives and holding the woman's arm he managed to slip her expensive watch off her wrist.

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He then broke out into dance next to the couple in an attempt to snatch the man's watch off his wrist but it gets caught on his cuff.

After his impromptu dance fails he is seen walking off, and he later found another victim.

West Midlands Police said he then attempted his routine with a lone woman who was wearing a watch worth around £4,700.

The police said he approached her singing "It’s Coming Home" before grabbing her and trying to take her watch off her wrist.

The victim realised something was wrong and resisted, so Bahou-Jabour twisted her arm causing her pain and fear before finally slipping the designer watch off her arm, and running away.

After the crimes were reported the police deployed plainclothes officers to keep an eye out for him.

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He was arrested on 30 July and charged with two robberies and an attempted robbery.

PC Mat 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."

Bahou-Jabour admitted to the crimes but refused to reveal where the watches had gone.

The 24-year-old will be sentenced next month.