A 'callous' robber caught on CCTV ripping a £28,000 Rolex watch from a man with a broken ankle as he stood outside a London station has been jailed.

Mohammed Fremoule, 29 of Walthamstow, was sentenced to two years and eight months after pleading guilty to robbery and handling stolen goods at Inner London Crown Court.

The Algerian native was seen on multiple CCTV cameras before, during and after the incident, which happened outside Liverpool Street Station, during the evening hours of August 16 last year.

Footage released by City of London police shows Fremoule scoping out his victim beside the front steps of the station.

He passes the man, who has a broken left foot in a boot and is holding on to a blonde female, before turning to glance at him over his shoulder. 

Fremoule, wearing a white T-shirt underneath a dark open jacket, dark trousers and white trainers, is then seen hovering close to the couple before turning around and slowly approaching the man.

He appears to lean down close to the couple, who are still unaware of Fremoule's presence, before suddenly grabbing the victim's wrist.

The victim instinctively tries to turn around, but appears to lose his balance due to his ankle boot.

In a second video from moments later, Fremoule is seen running swiftly across a main road, narrowly avoiding traffic, as he flees from the scene.

Fremoule was arrested on March 29 after he was found to be in the possession of a stolen mobile phone. The watch, which was uninsured, was never recovered.

Detective Constable Marcus Fairclough, from City of London Police, said: 'This was a callous and opportunistic robbery, carried out against a vulnerable victim who was already suffering from a broken ankle. 

'The offender targeted him, stalked him outside Liverpool Street Station and then violently ripped a watch worth approximately £28,000 from his wrist, before making off.

'Due to our extensive CCTV network, we were able to capture the incident and trace the suspect’s movements. 

'Working closely with colleagues from the Metropolitan Police Service and the British Transport Police, we were able to build the evidence needed to bring him before the courts.

'This sentence sends a clear message that those who come to the City to commit crime will be relentlessly pursued. 

'Through our investigations, partnerships and world-class CCTV coverage, we are identifying offenders, bringing them to justice and helping to keep the City’s streets safe by locking up criminals who pose a threat to the public.'

The City of London Police hailed the force's recently-launched Safer City Streets initiative for bringing Fremoule to justice. 

Aimed at preventing crime and targeting prolific offenders, the scheme operates throughout the City of London, the business district dubbed the Square Mile.

The City's CCTV network remains one of the most advanced policing assets in the country, allowing officers and control room staff to track suspects in real time, direct resources immediately and protect businesses, workers and the public. 

Roughly one-third (31%) of all 1,400 shoplifting offences in the Square Mile last year resulted in an arrest, charge or conviction - above the national average of around 18.5%.