Live footage of Chinese thieves pickpocket shoppers using CHOPSTICKS

This is the moment a pair of brazen Chinese thieves are caught on camera pickpocketing unwitting shoppers using chopsticks.
The two shifty dark-coated men can be seen patrolling a backstreet before sneaking behind shoppers armed with the traditional Chinese utensil.
But rather than using the chopsticks for their proper purpose, the shameless thieves use them to carefully prise items from the back pockets of unwitting shoppers.

Crafty: The brazen Chinese thief reaches into a female shopper's coat pocket with chopsticks

The same man can be seen seconds later using the chopsticks to take items from the trouser pocket of a man carrying a heavy bag over his head

Shameless: Passers-by watch and refuse to intervene as the man continues his chopstick thieving spree in broad daylight

Police in China believe gangs of opportunist pickpockets are using them to target busy shoppers, usually women laden down with heavy shopping.
It is unclear where the chopstick thieves were when they were captured on camera, but the trend is thought to have taken place in several Chinese cities.

The thefts across China are carried out in broad daylight in front of dozens of passers-by who refuse to intervene.
In one clip a woman wearing a black and white patched coat is unaware she is being robbed by a thief using chopsticks.
She walks away before the thief has a chance to steal her belongings.

Targeted: A second thief carefully creeps up behind an unwitting shopper before using the chopsticks to take items from her coat

In another clip another woman is approached from behind by a pickpocket who grabs her mobile phone out of her white full-length coat.
He grips the phone between the chopsticks before placing it in a white handkerchief and walking away.
An onlooker said: 'It's so obvious what the gang are doing but no one does anything.
'This gang know exactly what they are doing and are highly skilled.
'By using chopsticks they avoid getting caught with their hands in the victim's pockets and don't leave finger-prints on stolen property.