A brazen thief pinched an electric bike by using an angle grinder to slice through two locks.
The calm crook used the power tool on a busy street.
Sparks could be seen flying off the pair of thick D-locks.
The man then casually put the tool back in his camp rucksack and jumped on the e-bike.
He pedalled initially but then zoomed off down Queensway, Paddington, central London.
He was spotted and filmed by a shocked onlooker.
Pedestrians including children could be seen in the upmarket street near Porchester Hall yesterday (15 Jan) morning.
The man – in a black puffer jacket and grey trousers – didn’t even try and hide his identity.
The two broken locks were left discarded on the pavement.
Locals reacted with shock at brazen crime.
It comes following a spare of bike theft in the capital, as reported on Need To Know.
E-bikes have also been used by crooks in the widespread phone stealing epidemic in London.
Calvin McDonald fumed; “He wouldn’t be going very far if I caught this little toe-rag in the act.
“I’d frogmarch him back to the rack, and make him wait until the owner came back.
“If he apologised, I might consider letting him go.”
Jerome Tyson added: “Not even covering their faces anymore as they know nothing will happen to them.”
One bike owner said: “Seeing this upsets me.
“I’ve had three bikes stolen.
“The first was cheap, but the last two had a combined value of £5,000.
“You can’t protect them with locks.
“Put a GPS tracker in the seat post, and get insurance.”
Another – named Kingsley – said: “I’ll never understand why people leave the battery on electric bikes.
“It’s a lot less likely to be nicked without the battery.”
The Met Police has been approached for comment.
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