• CCTV captures thief using dance to distract victim in Nottingham
• Police warn of similar tricks and urge witnesses to come forward

Police are investigating after CCTV footage showed a man performing a bizarre dance to distract people and commit a theft.

Authorities believe the thief pretended to be drunk to deceive bystanders, with the footage capturing him approaching the victim on Clumber Street in central Nottingham.

The victim’s phone was stolen, and police are asking anyone with information to come forward.

Inspector Paul Gummer of Nottinghamshire Police said: “Distraction thefts of this kind have happened before, not just in Nottingham but across the country. Offenders often claim that the strange dance is a traditional cultural dance from their country. To be clear – it is not a cultural dance at all; it is a deliberate attempt to divert attention from the victim’s pockets, where the pickpocketing takes place.”