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This is the moment an armed “pickpocket” is courageously tackled by a martial arts champion on the London Underground. Ivan Skoko, 29, put his combat training into practice when he wrestled the alleged thief to the ground on the northbound Northern line platform at Borough station this week. Having started training with his cousins aged 14, the Croatian national quickly made a name for himself on the MMA circuit and this year won gold at the London Fall International Open IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship. On Tuesday, at around 7pm, the 6ft3 black belt was traveling on the Tube from Fight City Gym in Elephant and Castle to a training session in Hackney when he took matters into his own hands. He told The Standard: “I boarded the train and had AirPods in my ear, so I was not even focusing on other people. At Borough, someone boarded and there were these two ladies on my left hand side. “And when the doors were about to close, I just heard a very loud scream. I thought someone got hit by a train or stabbed. I immediately jumped and I tried to try to react somehow because I am first-aid trained. “I asked them very clearly, ‘What happened? Are you OK?’ And one woman said, ‘Oh, this guy tried to rob my phone’. “The doors were about to close and I opened them and saw the guy. Straight away I took him down. I was just holding the guy and he tried to reach out his pockets to grab some sort of weapon.” Footage shows 15-stone Mr Skoko restraining the alleged thief, who was wearing a puffer jacket, tracksuit bottoms and running shoes. He was later found to be in possession of a claw hammer along with two smartphones that were reportedly stolen. Mr Skoko used a foot sweep to knock the pickpocket to the ground and held him for 25 minutes as he begged for forgiveness before police arrived. The physiotherapy graduate recalled: “I said to him (the pickpocket), ‘You will get hurt, but do not move’. And he was begging me, ‘Please let me go’. “I said, ‘No, you're getting arrested now’. Even if he stabs me, I am going to tackle him down. He gave up because I'm much heavier than him.” Mr Skoko, whose ultimate goal is to open his own academy, criticised the police and politicians for not doing enough to combat thefts in the capital. Between March 2023 and 2024, the Metropolitan Police received more than 79,000 reports of pickpockets, according to the Office for National Statistics. However, a study by the Policy Exchange think-tank found that only one in 170 snatch thefts, such as watches or electronic devices being stolen in public, were solved by the force. “These criminals always choose vulnerable victims, which are mainly girls, students or very skinny, small people,” said Mr Skoko, who has had two bikes stolen in the past. “They only get a couple of months behind bars or public service. In my view, they have to be jailed for at least 5 to 6 years so they can think about their mistakes and the career choices they make.” As well as calling for stronger punishments, Mr Skoko said men have an obligation to protect and stand up for minors, women and vulnerable individuals in dangerous situations. “Today, masculinity is disrespected and I think for me this was a regular day. I think it is a duty of every single man to jump straight away to suspects if they try to harm. If you kill masculinity, we will kill society and unfortunately that is the harsh truth.” A spokesman for the British Transport Police said: “Officers were called to Borough Underground station at around 7.30pm on October 28 following reports of an attempted theft. “Officers attended and a man was arrested on suspicion of theft, possession of an offensive weapon, and handling stolen goods. “Enquiries are ongoing, and anyone with information is asked to contact British Transport Police by texting 61016 or by calling 0800 40 50 40, quoting reference 661 of 28 October.”
