Organised crime groups are targeting vulnerable people visiting banks, police say - pickpocketing victims as they leave with their money.

Footage released by the Metropolitan Police shows one such incident in south east London, with an elderly man the victim.

As he boarded a bus the driver was distracted and the thief made her move - delving into a plastic bag the man is carrying before making off with the contents.

The criminal was later caught and jailed for four-and-a-half years for the 2021 incident.

The video was released by the Met as it said it had reduced bank 'follow off' crime by 75 per cent in parts of the capital.

The force said organised crime gangs carry out the sting - where one thief loiters inside banks to identify victims, who are then pickpocketed by their accomplices.

The Met warned that though this type of crime is often under-reported, an estimated 66 per cent of victims are over 60.

The force's Bank Safe initiative - launched in 2022 - sees local police officers carrying out targeted patrols in areas most affected by thefts around banks, raising awareness among customers and communities of the tactics used by thieves and undertaking detailed investigations of CCTV footage where repeat offenders are identified and arrested.

Sgt David James, who leads the Bank Safe project for the Met, explained that victims often don't realise they've been robbed and instead blame themselves for losing their money.

“Distraction theft is a very personal crime that often has life-changing impacts on victims," he said.

"In most cases, victims do not know they have been targeted and tend to blame themselves for losing their hard-earned cash.

"Police operations such as Bank Safe will aid in targeting these organised crime gangs and remove them from the streets of London.

"Since the start of the operation, we have seen a decrease in some boroughs and intend to work towards a further reduction.

“Our specialist and local officers remain dedicated to community crime fighting and will continue to work alongside our partners and local communities to drive down bank follow-off crime and stop these gangs re-offending.”

Catriona Still, Head of Fraud Prevention & Training at the Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU), revealed that training bank staff to keep an eye out for potential thieves was another useful way to stop the crimes occurring.

She said: "The DCPCU have been working hard to combat branch follow-off crime and have trained over 400 branch employees in high-risk areas across the UK in the past 12 months alone.

“The joint collaboration between the DCPCU and Met Police has prevented customers from having significant values of cash stolen from them.

“The banking industry is committed to preventing crime and we will continue our efforts to protect consumers and stop these crimes from happening in the first place.”

The Bank Safe initiative was first set up two years ago to combat an increase in 'follow off' crimes across the capital.

Specialist officers work to gather intelligence and dismantle organised gangs, whilst neighbourhood officers work with local partners such as the DCPCU, leaders in the finance industry, Age UK, local authorities and banks to raise awareness and educate local communities on follow-off crime and distraction techniques to ensure potential victims remain vigilant when entering a bank.

To make yourself less vulnerable to personal theft, the Met advises members of the public to stay aware of their surroundings, pay attention to who’s around them and keep cash in a secure bag or a hard-to-reach, out-of-sight pocket.

The force also emphasised the importance of reporting crimes as soon as a theft occurs.

John McGeachy, of Age UK London, added that the targeting of vulnerable, elderly people was "particularly insidious".

“Being a victim of this, or any other type of crime can have serious consequences for people’s confidence and mental health," he said.

“With older people more likely to bank in person than other age groups, it’s particularly insidious to target them in this way as they leave the bank with their cash.

“We welcome the police’s efforts to stamp down on this crime and ensure people can bank with confidence and in safety.”