‘Made us proud queen’: Man in London runs away with a woman’s phone while she was recording a video — too bad she turned out to be triathlete
Don’t underestimate Americans.
We’ve all seen those high-drama moments on social media where someone gets caught off guard in public. Usually, the story ends with an insurance claim and a lot of crying. Not this time. Because a phone snatcher just got owned by an American triathlete in London.
A woman in London was filming a transition for her social media when a thief on a bike snatched her phone right out of her hand. But he clearly skipped the part of the scouting report that mentioned she’s a competitive triathlete. The TikTok video, which has since gone viral, shows the creator, Elizabeth Lopez-Aguilar, standing on a street corner ready for her closeup.
In a split second, a masked individual on a bicycle zooms past, grabs the device, and pedals away. Most people would have stood there in shock, but Elizabeth (@elizzabish) and her boyfriend immediately shifted into high gear, proving that some main characters actually have the stats to back it up.
The phone snatch and grab gone wrong
The footage is hauntingly casual at first. One second, Elizabeth is smiling at the lens, and the next, the camera is tumbling through the air as the thief makes his move. This sort of breakdown of public safety has become a daily occurrence in London, where phone snatches are treated by criminals like a low-risk sport.
Except this time, the risk was much higher than the thief anticipated. Elizabeth, an ironman triathlete, didn’t hesitate. She and her boyfriend launched into a full-out sprint, chasing the thief through the streets of London. It’s a total shift from the usual “victim” narrative. Seeing a woman use those miles of cardio to hunt down their stolen phone healed something in all of us. Especially if you’ve ever lost your phone to snatchers.
Elizabeth recovered her phone in minutes
The pursuit wasn’t just for show. Elizabeth and her boyfriend managed to chase the thief down, eventually cornering him and reclaiming the phone. Sadly for the thief, he picked the literal worst person to rob. Imagine being outrun by the person you just stole from? What are your thoughts going to tell your hood?
While the police often struggle to keep up with the spike in moped and bicycle-led thefts, Elizabeth took accountability into her own hands. Because the thief didn’t just take a phone; he took a digital archive of memories. However, he couldn’t have known that the woman literally trains to run for hours.
The man probably thought he was getting an easy $1,200 device. Instead, he got a lesson in why you shouldn’t mess with someone who wears spandex for a hobby or a living.
The internet was collectively proud
The comments section was full of awes and attached warnings. While many cheered for the successful recovery, others pointed out how dangerous it is to confront thieves who might be armed. One wrote, “I feel like you’re lucky they didn’t try to hurt you.” But one hilariously replied, “lol they’re lucky SHE didn’t hurt them! Americans don’t like being pickpocketed.”
The video also reminded a few viewers of their own stories where they chased a thief down. But one likened the creator to Serena Williams herself. They wrote, “Queen!!! Serena Williams had an epic moment like this. Chased the guy down the street in sky-high heels and sequins, then ofc she got her phone back.”
Cardio is officially the best anti-theft device
But even if this one instance turned out in favor of the woman, London is getting way too bold. When the tourist experience involves a high-speed chase, the city’s security system is clearly struggling. The woman was probably targeted because such thieves see tourists as easy targets. But we shouldn’t have to be Olympic sprinters just to hold our phones.
The promise of safety is supposed to be guaranteed by the state. But this video suggests that if you want your stuff back, you better have a sub-20-minute 5K. We’re just happy that Elizabeth provided the ultimate feel-good ending for everyone tired of watching thieves get away.
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