The Aporia · Police launch appeal to find brazen thief caught on camera stealing phone from sleeping victim after he fails to turn up at court to be sentenced

Police launch appeal to find brazen thief caught on camera stealing phone from sleeping victim after he fails to turn up at court to be sentenced

Read the original at Daily Mail ↗

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Hooper, R. (2026, September 21). Police launch appeal to find brazen thief caught on camera stealing phone from sleeping victim after he fails to turn up at court to be sentenced. Daily Mail. https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16142831/Police-launch-appeal-brazen-thief-caught-camera-stealing-phone-sleeping-victim-fails-turn-court-sentenced.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

Quick Summary

City of London Police are seeking public help to locate Paul Langan, 58, who stole a mobile phone from a sleeping man near Liverpool Street station on April 24. CCTV footage shows Langan stealing the phone and fleeing; he was later arrested but failed to appear for sentencing in June. Police emphasize the importance of their advanced CCTV system in tracking such crimes and apprehending suspects in real time.

Written by AI on 2026-09-21, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

On Friday, April 24, at around 7pm, Paul Langan, aged 58 from Tower Hamlets in London, stole a mobile phone from a man who appeared to be sleeping on steps near Liverpool Street station. The theft was captured by the City of London Police’s CCTV system. After capturing and tracking Langan, police intervened and arrested him. Despite admitting guilt, Langan failed to appear at court for sentencing, prompting the City of London Police to issue a public appeal for information to locate him. The incident highlights the effectiveness of advanced CCTV systems in catching criminals but also underscores ongoing challenges with apprehending suspects who evade legal proceedings.

Written for “Brazen Thief On The Run” on 2026-10-31, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

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sentences that state something as happening or true

Uncertain

1 of 13 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

Leaning

not political

takes no side on a contested political question

Publisher signals

68/100

Daily Mail's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.

Outlets on this story

Crime & Law

Same framing elsewhere

articles that frame the event the way this one does

Who wrote this

Ryan Hooper

24 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

🔮 While offences committed by children can cause significant harm and will be taken seriously, the assessment highlights the importance of recognising that some child perpetrators may also have experienced vulnerability, trauma or abuse themselves.

2026-10-19 · assertive framing · Online influencers and new technology like AI are driving cases of violence against women and girls

🔮 Chan was handed an 18-year jail term in February after he admitted sexually assaulting and filming young girls in his care from at least 2022, although police believe they may never know how many children he abused.

2026-10-18 · assertive framing · Parents say Labour failed their children by allowing paedophile Vincent Chan to stay at nursery

🔮 He had to because if he told a respective employer he had a full-time job, they wouldn't have given him another one, would they?

2026-10-13 · assertive framing · Civil servant fraudulently held down FIVE government jobs at the same time, court told

🔮 I cannot help but wonder whether things could have been different if the seriousness of his behaviour and the danger he posed had been recognised and acted upon.'

2026-10-11 · assertive framing · Why was he ever freed? Early release murderer's previous victim condemns Labour 'soft justice' scheme after thug stabbed ex to death days after he was let out

🔮 Judge Whitehouse repeatedly had to urge those in the public gallery at the Old Bailey to sit down before the administrative hearing could begin.

2026-10-09 · assertive framing · Judge in case of former X Factor singer accused of murdering influencer 'rival' in 'road rage attack' warns social media commentators they face jail - as supporters for victim and suspect shout 'love you' in court.

🔮 They show a consistently worsening picture – and a trajectory which, if it continues, will only wreak more havoc, hurt, and harm on young lives.

2026-10-08 · assertive framing · Children under ten victims of 'sextortion' as number of reported cases on course to double in a year

🔮 He had been sentenced at Kingston Crown Court, the day before, to 12 months' imprisonment for two offences of possession of a bladed article and one offence of harassment in relation to an incident on May 1, 2025 in which he banged on the door of a former partner, whilst in possession of two knives.

2026-10-07 · assertive framing · Knifeman who murdered former partner in her own home after 'targeting' her and moving in following release from prison jailed for life

🔮 Prosecutor Mr Wellings said: 'She (the Princess) had considered that item to be lost, that she would never have given away such an important personal item.'

2026-10-06 · assertive framing · Colombian housekeeper secretly stole Jordanian princess's 'long lost' wedding ring and passed other jewellery for secret sale at auction, court told

🔮 Langford and a woman began planning to assault an eight-year-old girl in May and June 2023.

2026-10-04 · assertive framing · University professor who led secret double life as paedophile continued working despite guilt - and his bosses only found out when the Mail told them

🔮 Her Honour Judge Freya Newbery will sentence Brain at a later date.

2026-10-02 · assertive framing · Disgraced priest who led 'cult' Nine O'Clock Service convicted of rape and sexually assaulting young women who attended his church

Also by Ryan Hooper

Online influencers and new technology like AI are driving cases of violence against women and girls

2026-10-19 · Daily Mail

Parents say Labour failed their children by allowing paedophile Vincent Chan to stay at nursery

2026-10-18 · Daily Mail

Civil servant fraudulently held down FIVE government jobs at the same time, court told

2026-10-13 · Daily Mail

Colombian housekeeper cleared of secretly stealing Jordanian princess's 'long lost' wedding ring

2026-10-13 · Daily Mail

Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 24 articles by Ryan Hooper →

Claims (13 extracted, 1 hedged)

- See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source A predatory thief caught on camera stealing the mobile phone from a sleeping man's pocket has gone on the run. Police are appealing for information after Paul Langan, from Tower Hamlets in London, failed to turn up at court to be sentenced for theft. He admitted stealing the device from his victim, who appeared to be sleeping on some steps near Liverpool Street station at 7pm on Friday, April 24. asserted

who → see → Friday

Footage captured by City of London Police caught the moment Langan, 58, gently approached his prone victim before casually sliding the mobile away and into his pocket. asserted

Langan → capture → pocket

Control room staff quickly called an ambulance and sent officers to the scene. asserted

staff → call → scene

Cameras continued to track Langan and he was subsequently arrested. asserted

he → continue → Langan

Officers gave assistance to the man and his phone was returned to him. asserted

phone → give → him

Police Constable Sachin Kumar, of the City of London Police, said: 'The City of London Police use one of the most advanced CCTV networks in the country. asserted

Police → say → country

Paul Langan, 58, was caught on CCTV by City of London Police stealing a sleeping victim's mobile phone Langan approached the sleeping victim near Liverpool Street station... ...before swiping his victim's phone and fleeing the scene City of London Police sent officers to the scene and quickly arrested their suspect as he made off with his victim's mobile phone ' asserted

he → catch → phone

That allows officers and control room staff to move individual cameras and track suspects in real time. asserted

officers → allow → time

'If it hadn't been for our cameras and the quick thinking of control room staff, it's likely that Langan might have got away with his crimes. uncertain

Langan → get → crimes

He is a brazen and opportunistic thief and instead of checking if the man needed assistance, he stole from a person who was in a vulnerable state. asserted

who → check → state

But Langan failed to attend court for his sentencing in June. asserted

Langan → fail → June

A warrant has since been issued for his arrest. asserted

warrant → issue → arrest

Anyone with information as to his whereabouts is asked to contact police. asserted

Anyone → ask → police

Police launch appeal to find brazen thief caught on camera stealing phone from sleeping victim after he fails to turn up at court to be sentenced

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Claims (13 extracted, 1 hedged)