THIS is the moment a “Cinderella” phone thief received instant karma as he was knocked off his bike – before cops tracked him down using his lost shoe.
Spencer Duarte, 28, was stopped in his tracks by furious city workers in London when he grabbed a mobile phone.
Spencer Duarte was tackled to the ground
Central NewsHe was caught when his shoe came off in the scuffle[/caption]
Footage shows a courageous pedestrian tackling the career criminal to the ground – causing Duarte to fall from his bike.
He managed to clamber back on the vehicle but received another karma hit when he was pulled from the saddle for a second time.
Duarte eventually managed to flee on foot but left his trainer behind in the scuffle.
Cops used the rogue shoe to track down the prolific thief using his DNA.
He is now facing jail after he pleaded guilty to theft at Inner London Crown Court.
Duarte also admitted possessing items with intent to steal after his rucksack was found to contain face coverings.
Andrew Walker, physical forensics manager at the City of London Police, said: “We were able to get sufficient levels of DNA from the shoe to obtain a single, major profile that was suitable for searching against the national DNA database.
“This search generated a ‘hit’ to a male whose profile had previously been uploaded.
“The slipper fitted our Cinderella and we were able to bring him before the courts.”
Duarte was jailed for four years after he grabbed six mobile phones in just an hour from pedestrians in Islington and the West End.
Following his arrest for that spree, Duarte managed to escape police after faking kidney pain so he would be taken to hospital.
The yob, who was still handcuffed when he fled, spent a romantic night with his girlfriend Jade Clapham in a Travelodge before he was finally snared.
Clapham later pleaded guilty to assisting an offender by impeding his apprehension or prosecution.
Duarte was also part of a gang who grabbed 14 handbags worth £50,000 from the Louis Vuitton shop in Sloane Street, Chelsea, in 2015.
Jake Dean, Police Constable of the City of London Police, said: “Do not come to the City and think you can steal from residents, workers or visitors without paying the penalty.
“Our targeted patrols, excellent police work and extensive CCTV will mean you will be caught and brought to justice.”
Central NewsDuarte was twice tackled by bystanders[/caption]
Central NewsHe is facing jail after he pleaded guilty to theft[/caption]
Central NewsHis girlfriend admitted assisting an offender[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
