A suspected pickpocket targeting a commuter on a London Underground platform found himself swiftly overpowered by a martial artist with a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Ivan Skoko, 29, employed his combat training to wrestle the man to the ground at Borough Station in South London on Tuesday evening. The suspect, a man in his twenties, was caught red-handed attempting to steal a young woman’s phone just as she boarded a train around 7pm.

According to Skoko, who stands 6ft 3in tall, the man was lurking on the platform waiting for an opportunity when he made his move, reaching into the woman’s hand to snatch her device. Skoko described hearing a loud scream which immediately drew his attention. Without hesitation, he intervened, grabbing the suspect by his hoodie, delivering a foot sweep that brought him down, and swiftly applying an arm lock to restrain him until authorities arrived. Footage released shows Skoko, weighing around 15 stone, holding the suspect firmly on the ground beside the station stairs.

A search of the suspect revealed a rusty claw hammer tucked into his waistband along with two smartphones. Skoko, born in Croatia and now a resident of South London, was on his way to teach a self-defence class at Fight City Gym in Elephant and Castle when the incident unfolded. He explained to the Daily Mail that he initially suspected the item in the suspect’s pocket could have been a blade, prompting caution in his grip. He praised the victim for holding onto her phone tightly and expressed frustration at the frequency of robberies he witnesses daily, lamenting the lack of action against such crimes.

Having trained extensively, Skoko noted that his skills made subduing the untrained suspect a straightforward task, a “little warm-up” exercise compared to his regular training sessions that last three to four hours a day. He expressed a strong sense of duty towards community safety and insisted his response was both legal and measured, adding that he is trained in first aid. “I reacted to help a vulnerable person, it was a woman in this situation. I would do it for anyone in need of help,” he said.

Skoko’s credentials include notable victories in Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitions this year, such as the British Open 2025, NAGA London II 2025, and IBJJF London Fall Open 2025 in the black belt adult division. His intervention highlights the growing issue of street crime across London, where almost 81,000 robberies were reported in England and Wales in the year ending June, with over 33,700 occurring in London alone, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics. Although London's robbery figures have slightly declined from the previous year, the challenge remains significant.

In a separate but related development, the Metropolitan Police recently dismantled a criminal network suspected of smuggling around 40,000 stolen mobile phones from the UK to China, underscoring the organised nature of such thefts.

A spokesperson for British Transport Police confirmed that officers were called to Borough Station at approximately 7.30pm on Tuesday in response to reports of an attempted theft. The suspect was arrested on suspicion of theft, possession of an offensive weapon, and handling stolen goods. Investigations are ongoing, and the police are appealing for any witnesses or those with information to come forward.

The incident serves as a vivid example of how community vigilance, coupled with swift physical intervention by trained individuals, can help combat crime on public transport networks. Skoko has provided his contact details to the police and hopes the suspect will be convicted, whilst also seeking to connect with the victim to offer support.

📌 Reference Map:

  • Paragraph 1 to 5 – [1] (Daily Mail), [2] (Evening Standard), [3] (BBC), [4] (The Guardian)
  • Paragraph 6 to 7 – [1] (Daily Mail), [5] (London24), [6] (Metro), [7] (The Independent)
  • Paragraph 8 – [1] (Daily Mail), [3] (BBC), [4] (The Guardian)

Source: Noah Wire Services