A fugitive wanted for a violent 2020 robbery in Germany was caught after a dramatic foot chase through the City of London.
Ionut Bratianu, 37 — also known as Ionut Mihai — was spotted acting suspiciously outside a bar on Gracechurch Street around 8 p.m. on July 4. Inspector Dan Green of the City of London Police, working in plain clothes, noticed Bratianu folding a piece of paper — a common trick used by distraction thieves to cover and steal phones from tables.
Inspector Green also recognized a suspicious car linked to recent thefts in the area. As he approached Bratianu, the suspect fled, prompting a chase down Lime Street and through Leadenhall Market. “He pushed me away and ran,” said Inspector Green. “I was on my own, drew my baton, and ordered him to the ground — which he did.”
Bratianu was arrested for going equipped to steal and theft. Further checks revealed an international arrest warrant tied to a violent robbery at a German coffee shop in 2020, for which he had been sentenced to three years in prison.
In addition to being sentenced to 18 weeks for theft in the City of London, extradition proceedings are now underway for Bratianu to serve his prison term in Germany.
