‘Pickypockets!’ vigilante pairs with social media on London streets
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Mr Diego Galdino, from a family of police officers in Brazil, said he has become an expert at identifying likely thieves.
PHOTO: AFP
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LONDON – On a recent weekday, Mr Diego Galdino was on a hunt for pickpockets in central London, patrolling tourist hot spots for familiar suspects and telltale signs of those about to commit thefts.
He is not a policeman.
The Brazilian food app delivery rider has become a popular, social media-fuelled vigilante targeting pickpocketing in the city.
He started filming – and then trying to disrupt – thieves in action after witnessing several incidents.
His videos on Instagram, TikTok and other platforms under the handle “pickpocketlondon” have proved a hit.
One posted in late July on TikTok amassed nearly 27 million views. Another on Instagram showing a suspect spitting at him garnered more than 12 million views.
“I didn’t know nothing about TikTok, I didn’t know nothing about uploading a video,” Mr Galdino told AFP.
“I catch them stealing, I catch a lot of situations and I upload daily and grow very quickly,” he said.
Similar accounts have emerged in other European cities including Venice and Paris, as the era of mass tourism, social media and side hustles collides with crime and vigilantism.
Mr Galdino said he was “completely surprised” by the response.
“My life’s changed a lot,” he added. Now, he said, he is inundated with media interview requests and recognised by supporters and suspects alike.
Injustice
Mr Galdino, from a family of police officers in Brazil, said he has become an expert at identifying likely thieves.
They appear well organised, are often women and work in pairs. They mainly target tourists, dressing like them to blend in, he noted.
Standing outside Buckingham Palace, the 32-year-old said he could change his “perception” while patrolling to create a kind of tunnel vision.
A network of around 20 other delivery riders helps out, sending tip-offs via WhatsApp when suspects are spotted.
Standing outside Buckingham Palace, Mr Diego Galdino said he could change his ‘perception’ while patrolling to create a kind of tunnel vision.
PHOTO: AFP
Once on the scene, Mr Galdino swoops in filming with an attached camera, shouting a signature “pickypockets” warning to sound the alert.
His presence is not always welcomed though, and he has faced violence.
But focus, adrenaline and a sense of “injustice” at the thefts overrode any fear, he said.
“I hate this kind of thing,” Mr Galdino added. “These people get up in the morning... (to) steal. They don’t pay tax, they don’t produce nothing to society.”
On the streets, locals as well as visitors seem to appreciate his efforts.
“Keep doing what you’re doing,” said passer-by Tom, 37, after recognising Mr Galdino.
“Hopefully tourists (who) come to London who maybe don’t know about the phone snatchers see your videos.”
On the streets, locals as well as visitors seem to appreciate Mr Diego Galdino’s efforts.
PHOTO: AFP
Sceptics, however, have raised concerns about such vigilante content creators, arguing they are ill-trained to intervene in potentially dangerous situations.
Police boost
“We’ve got a kind of performative form of crime vigilantism for clicks,” criminologist Jennifer Fleetwood told AFP.
“I’m sure the guy is very well-meaning but honestly this is not an effective form of crime control,” she added.
“He’s not going to be out there for the next 10 years, is he?” said Dr Fleetwood, a university lecturer in criminology who wrote the book What We Talk About When We Talk About Crime.
London’s leaders insist they are tackling pickpocketing.
Mayor Sadiq Khan boosted police numbers in the centre to curb theft, robbery and antisocial behaviour.
The Metropolitan Police said: “We’ll be targeting hot-spot areas with both plain-clothed and uniformed patrols, building on the progress we’ve already made.”
Mr Diego Galdino watching for pickpockets in London on Aug 7.
PHOTO: AFP
The statement did not comment directly on Mr Galdino but noted a 15.6 per cent reduction in “theft from the person” in the six weeks since the boost began on April 6.
However, the force’s statistics show more than 32,000 “thefts from the person” in the year until July, in central Westminster.
That is up on the previous 12 months and a considerable increase from July 2022.
Dr Fleetwood argued the social media fixation on pickpocketing risked exaggerating the problem.
Statistics show such thefts are no more prevalent in the capital than other British cities and regions, she added.
“I’ve seen so much stuff on social media about London being unfriendly or London being dangerous. But... is it the case that you’re more likely to be a victim of personal crime in London? Actually, no.” AFP
