Two thieves have been jailed after stealing £14,250 worth of belongings from drinkers in London pubs, employing a brazen and methodical approach that saw them rifle through victims’ bags for nearly seven minutes while standing calmly at the bar.
An audacious operation in plain sight
The most striking example of their criminal confidence occurred on Thursday, 14 August 2025, at a pub on Cannon Street in the City of London. According to City of London Police, Majazy Latif, 28, and Youcef Aliouat, 32, positioned themselves around a pile of customers’ bags. Despite the bar being otherwise empty, they deliberately pulled a chair in front of the pile as a screen and placed their own rucksack amongst the items to blend in.
After ordering drinks, CCTV footage shows the pair spending almost seven minutes carefully rummaging through the unattended belongings. They eventually removed a laptop and transferred it into another bag held by Latif. Throughout the entire process, people standing nearby and walking past were seemingly oblivious, the thieves’ casual demeanour making them appear like any other patrons enjoying an after-work drink.
Police Constable Pradip Gurung, of the City of London Police’s Volume Crime Unit, described the pair as “professional criminals, who took their time when preying on other people’s belongings”. He stated: “The thieves operated with audacity, standing by the bar and committing their crimes while their victims were just nearby having a drink… Latif and Aliouat spotted an opportunity and calmly stole from others while blending in to look like other City drinkers.”
Sentences and banning orders
This incident formed part of a wider spate of thefts. Latif pleaded guilty to nine counts of theft between 6 August and 25 September 2025, stealing items including laptops from licensed premises across the City. He was jailed for 23 months.
Aliouat pleaded guilty to stealing nine laptops between 14 August and 6 October 2025. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
Both men were also handed five-year Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs) banning them from the City of London. The City of London Police confirmed that CBOs are court orders designed to tackle persistent anti-social behaviour, issued upon conviction. They can include prohibitions like area bans, and breaching one is a criminal offence carrying a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment for adults.
Latif was also linked to an earlier theft on 6 August 2025 at a bar in Aldgate, where CCTV captured him and an accomplice, Mounir Ghilas, stealing a laptop. Ghilas, 28, was jailed last year for 18 months after pleading guilty to 18 counts of theft.
A persistent pattern of opportunistic theft
The crimes committed by Latif and Aliouat are part of a broader pattern of opportunistic bag and laptop thefts targeting busy licensed premises in the capital. The City of London Police notes that these crimes can have a “significant impact on victims” and that professional thieves exploit any chance, often blending in with patrons.
Other recent cases underscore the trend. On 19 March 2026, Mohamed Hade was sentenced to three months in prison for a “bag swap” theft of a £1,700 laptop on Farringdon Street. In February 2026, John Luis Fajardo Robles and Edwin Roca were jailed for one year and 16 weeks respectively for stealing a bag worth around £1,335 at Leadenhall Market. In November 2025, Hecham Bourhar and Mohammed Kraifa received 18-week sentences for stealing a bag containing over £2,000 worth of items from a busy London pub.
Police and crime statistics highlight why pubs and bars are prime targets. The City of London Police states that “the larger footfall in the City will increase the opportunities for criminals to target people’s property,” with reduced vigilance among patrons, especially when busy or after consuming alcohol. Incidents related to licensed premises accounted for 1,700 offences in the City in 2023/24, a 1% increase from the year before.
While the City of London is considered the second safest city in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, with an overall crime rate significantly lower than London as a whole, theft remains a particular concern. “Other theft” is the most common crime in the Square Mile, with 2,163 offences recorded in 2026. The City has significantly higher levels of theft offences (61% in 2023/24) compared to the national average of 26%.
In response, the City of London Police utilises extensive CCTV networks and plain-clothed officers to target criminals. They also issue advice to licensed premises, recommending measures like providing bag hooks, displaying warning signage, employing property patrols, and ensuring secure CCTV systems.
For the public, officers urge constant vigilance. Their advice includes keeping bags zipped and worn across the front, never leaving phones or valuables on tables, staying alert to distractions or people getting too close, and immediately reporting anything suspicious. As PC Gurung put it: “If you leave your belongings in a bag pile, please don’t stray too far away from it and keep a close eye on your belongings.”
