An American tourist turned the tables on a phone thief in London, chasing him down and reclaiming her stolen mobile within minutes. Elizabeth Lopez Aguilar, 24, from Texas, was filming a TikTok video while on holiday in the capital when a man snatched her phone.
The thief had unwittingly targeted a track athlete who specialises in sprinting and long-distance running. Elizabeth, who has been training for triathlons and an Ironman, said: “I genuinely think the thief had no idea who he was messing with. I immediately went into running mode and wouldn't stop until the guy was caught.”
Elizabeth and her boyfriend cornered the thief and retrieved the phone. She said: “We caught him quickly after I was able to grab his arm and take the phone back. We didn't pursue any additional legal action or call the police as the man did not fight back and immediately left once we recovered the phone.”
Phone thefts have risen sharply in London, particularly in tourist hotspots. Met Police figures show 116,655 mobile phones were stolen in the capital in 2024, equivalent to 13 thefts per hour. The West End, including Oxford Street, is the worst area, with nearly 18 devices reported stolen each day.
