A fugitive wanted for a violent robbery in Germany was captured in the City of London during a successful night of arrests.
At around 8pm on 4 July, Inspector Dan Green, from the Proactive Acquisitive Crime Team, was on plain-clothed patrol, heading up Gracechurch Street, when a man loitering in an outdoor seating area of a bar caught his eye.
Dan suspected the man was a distraction thief after seeing him folding away a piece of paper. This is a known tactic used by distraction thieves where they place the paper over a phone on the table drawing the victim’s attention away and then stealing their phone.
Dan also spotted a vehicle nearby which he recognised as linked to similar distraction thefts in the City.
“I strongly suspected the that the male was heading towards this car to make his escape, so I ran after him with the aim to detain him for a search,” Dan, who also leads the Proactive Acquisitive Crime Team (PACT), said. “When I managed get hold of him and I identified myself as police officer, he then very quickly pushed me away and ran off.”
“It was then a chase down Lime Street and into Leadenhall Market, where the suspect began to tire and slow down. I was on my own and I drew my baton as I wasn’t sure if this man was going to be violent as he already pushed me away once.
“I shouted at him to get on the ground, to which he complied. I then cuffed him and waited for backup to arrive.”
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Uniformed officers arrived moments later and Dan went on to do a search of the suspect, where the paper used in the offence was found.
Ionut Mihai, also known as Ionut Bratianu, 37, was arrested for going equipped to steal and for theft. He was also found to be linked to other thefts in the City.
Officers then discovered that there was an international arrest warrant for Mihai for a violent robbery of a woman at a coffee shop in Germany in 2020. He had been sentenced to three years in prison for this offence, which he will serve once extradited.
Mihai was sentenced to 18-weeks in prison for theft in the City and extradition proceedings are currently ongoing.
Earlier that evening, Dan and Sergeant James Wood spotted two known bag thieves around Farringdon. Calling for backup from PACT officers, the team observed the two going in and out of various shops and pubs before officers moved in, as the two suspects headed into Mansion House underground station.
The two were searched and arrested outside the station: one of the men was arrested for failing to appear in court for a previous bag theft and the second was wanted in connection with two bag thefts in the City.
Following on from that, at around 7:30pm, PC Sam Gregory, also from PACT, spotted a man suspected of being in possession of drugs with the intent to supply.
Dan met up with PC Gregory and other PACT officers; and saw an exchange taking place.
Dan and his team swooped in on the buyer and the suspected dealer.
The buyer was issued a caution and the suspected dealer who was arrested for possession with intent to supply.
“I would say we’ve had a successful day thanks to the tenacious, hard work and dedication from the whole team,” Dan said. “We also charged a shoplifter for two counts of theft who the team had arrested earlier in the day as well.”
The Proactive Acquisitive Crime Team focuses on crimes such as theft of bags, phone snatches and shoplifting. The dedicated team is successfully bringing criminals to justice who prey on those out in the City and proactive arrests are disrupting those involved in serious organised crime.
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