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A man in Birmingham, who tried to outsmart people with unusual dance moves while secretly stealing from them, has been arrested and sentenced to prison. His strange yet bold style of pickpocketing was caught on CCTV, and police say he used the same odd trick several times before finally being tracked down.
The thief, identified as Anis Bardich, confused his victims by breaking into sudden dance routines, distracting them just enough to slip their wallets, phones, and bank cards out of their pockets.
The Strange Dance Routine That Hid a Crime
Between July and August last year, Bardich targeted four people in Birmingham’s busy city centre. His victims, many of whom were tourists or locals simply enjoying a day out, had no idea they were being robbed — the thief’s dancing made the moment feel playful, not criminal.
However, behind the act was a clear intent. As people laughed or tried to move away from the strange dancer, Bardich would carefully and quickly pick their pockets.
His actions, though strange, caught the attention of local authorities, especially as similar reports began to pile up. That’s when the West Midlands Police decided to step in.
Facial Recognition and Operation Taurus Help Crack the Case
The police launched an investigation under Operation Taurus, a special task force focused on tackling pickpocketing and street-level theft. Officers reviewed CCTV footage and noticed a pattern in how the thefts were carried out — and the man dancing in the videos started to look very familiar.
Using facial recognition technology, they identified Bardich and quickly moved to arrest him. It turned out he had also used the stolen bank cards to make personal purchases, which helped the authorities trace his movements.
In an official statement, West Midlands Police shared, “Our dedicated pickpocketing officers from Operation Taurus trawled through CCTV after recognising a pattern in the series of thefts. Using facial recognition technology, the team were able to identify Bardich as the offender. He was convicted of four counts of theft and four counts of fraud by false representation and at Birmingham Magistrates Court on Thursday 27 March, was sentenced to 24 weeks in prison. He was also ordered to pay £2,240 in compensation to the people he stole from.”
Court Sends Bardich to Jail and Orders Him to Pay Victims
Bardich was found guilty of four thefts and four fraud-related crimes. The Birmingham Magistrates Court sentenced him to 24 weeks in prison — nearly six months behind bars. Along with jail time, the court ordered him to pay £2,240 (approximately Rs 2 lakh) in compensation to the people he stole from.
Police say that every theft was taken seriously, and they remain committed to catching criminals like Bardich who target unsuspecting individuals.
A Message from the Police to Stay Alert
PC Amy O’Connor, who is part of Operation Taurus, shared an important warning to the public, “As you can see from the video clip, pickpockets adopt various tricks and tactics to steal people’s property. I would encourage everyone to be on the lookout for these techniques so that they can keep their belongings safe.”
Another police spokesperson added that being pickpocketed can have a lasting emotional impact on the victim, even if the items are eventually recovered. “Stealing from someone’s pocket can negatively affect the targeted person. That’s why the police always try their best to catch such thieves and recover the stolen items.”
While Bardich’s dance-based distraction may seem humorous at first glance, police say such tactics are part of a serious crime. They’re urging people to stay alert in crowded public areas and keep personal belongings secure, especially when approached by strangers acting oddly.
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