Paul Langan, aged 58 from Tower Hamlets in London, was caught on CCTV footage stealing a mobile phone from a sleeping man near Liverpool Street station on 24 April. The City of London Police used their advanced CCTV network to track Langan in real time, leading to his arrest at the scene. However, Langan failed to attend court for sentencing in June and has since gone on the run, prompting police to launch a public appeal for information about his whereabouts.

The theft occurred at 7pm when Langan approached the vulnerable victim and casually removed the phone from his pocket. CCTV operators quickly responded by calling an ambulance and dispatching officers to the scene, who recovered the victim's phone and provided assistance. Langan is now the subject of a warrant for his arrest after failing to appear for sentencing, with police urging the public to report any information about his location.