A street musician performing on the London Underground had his earnings callously stolen in broad daylight, in an act described as 'the lowest of the low'.
The Brazen Theft Caught on Camera
The incident occurred on Thursday, 2nd December 2025, at the busy Tottenham Court Road London Underground station. A busker, who was playing the tin whistle for commuters, had his loose change snatched directly from his open instrument case.
Footage of the event shows the thief descending from an escalator, pausing momentarily in front of the musician's collection, before grabbing a handful of cash and sprinting away through the crowd. The entire act was captured unintentionally by Jitrtiwa Jawjit, a passerby who had initially taken out her phone to record the performance.
Jawjit told Metro: "I saw the thief steal a handful of cash and run straight through the crowd. He went so fast it was impossible to stop him." She added that station staff came to speak to the busker afterwards, and that people claimed to have seen the same thief operate at other stations before.
Outpouring of Support and Condemnation
The video sparked outrage online after being shared, with social media users expressing anger and a desire to help the unidentified musician. One user stated they would have "absolutely lost it" had they witnessed the event. Jawjit herself was so moved that she saw the busker the following day and gave him £5.
Transport for London (TfL) strongly condemned the theft. Siwan Hayward, TfL's Director of Security, Policing and Enforcement, said: "It is absolutely disgraceful that anyone would steal from any of these musicians, many of whom rely on this income for their livelihood." She confirmed that TfL had reached out to support the busker and encouraged witnesses to come forward.
Appeal for Information from Police
While the British Transport Police (BTP) confirmed they had not received an official report of the incident at the time, they have issued an appeal for information. A BTP spokesperson urged anyone who witnessed the offence or has details about it to contact them by texting 61016.
Hayward emphasised the value buskers bring to the network, noting: "We have hundreds of talented, professional buskers performing at our stations each day, who add significant value to people’s journeys." The search for the thief and the effort to support the affected musician continue.
