Sneaky pickpocket spotted by undercover cop

It happens so quickly if you blink you will miss it.

When a sticky-fingered thief was plying his craft in a crowded marketplace it was the watchful eye of undercover cop who spotted the man at work.

The thief casually walks behind his mark as she and a friend browse the wares of the busy Chinese markets.

He slips his fingers in to her pocket and hoists her belongings while the woman and her friend continue their shopping, completely unaware one of their pockets was suddenly a lot lighter.

As the thief and a friend begin to make their getaway, a policeman pounces and makes his arrest.

While the thief didn't get away with the crime, his skills are impressive in a country where pickpocketing is rife.

In 2011, some crafty Chinese crims made worldwide headlines when security footage captured them as they pilfered phones and wallets from peoples' pockets using chopsticks.

This craftiness was recorded again in 2013 when 32-year-old Wang Hongbo was filmed running down the street behind cyclists using chopstick to grift commuters' possessions.

Source: Lake 8737 - LiveLeak
Author: Nicholas McCallum, Approving editor: Jack Hawke