A 32-year-old Algerian national has been sentenced to 22 months in prison for a sophisticated luggage theft at London's St Pancras International station. Bilal Arbaoui pleaded guilty to theft on Monday at Inner London Crown Court.
Arbaoui targeted Jumama Zaida as she arrived on the Eurostar from Paris in April. He approached her outside the station and falsely claimed her trousers were dirty, offering her a tissue. While Ms. Zaida was distracted, an accomplice provided a tissue, causing her to momentarily let go of her gold Rimowa suitcase. Arbaoui then seized the luggage and fled.
The suitcase contained high-value items, including Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry, with an estimated total value of up to £100,000. The prosecution stated that the suitcase has not been recovered. A bus driver who speaks Arabic reported overhearing Arbaoui and two accomplices speaking in Arabic, urging each other to hurry.
CCTV footage captured the incident, and Arbaoui was subsequently arrested. He initially provided no comment to police before claiming mistaken identity. Arbaoui has two prior convictions for similar bag thefts since arriving in the UK approximately 18 months prior to his sentencing, receiving a 12-week sentence in late 2024 for offenses committed in December 2024 and January 2025 that employed the same method.
During the sentencing, Judge David Richards noted that Arbaoui was part of a team targeting travelers arriving via the Eurostar, exploiting their potential unfamiliarity with the station and a lapse in concentration. The judge remarked that Arbaoui likely knew the whereabouts of the stolen property but refused to disclose it.
Defending, Sabrina Felix stated that Arbaoui, an Algerian national without legitimate immigration status in the UK, sends any cash earnings from informal construction work back to his family in Algeria to support his sister, who has autism and mobility difficulties. The judge indicated that immigration authorities would likely be notified upon the completion of Arbaoui's sentence.
British Transport Police described the theft as a "devious and pre-planned distraction theft" that caused the victim significant distress. They highlighted the effectiveness of the station's CCTV system in apprehending Arbaoui.