A female police officer has been seen calling for help after being challenged by a man outside a major London railway station.
The British Transport Police worker was filmed edging away from a confrontation which was captured on camera and widely shared online.
BTP have now issued an update on the incident which was reported at King’s Cross station in central London on Wednesday afternoon.
Members of the public were seen passing by the confrontation which occurred on a walkway that has been modernised in recent years amid the area’s regeneration.
The female officer in high-vis clothing, filmed backing away from the man in front of her, is heard urging colleagues by phone: ‘I need help here.’
While giving her location as King’s Cross, the police community support officer (PCSO) adds: ‘Hurry up.’
A man was then seen being led away following the incident which appeared to spread between Kings Cross mainline railway station and surrounding streets.
BTP officers were filmed gathering outside the terminal which neighbours St Pancras station whose services include the cross-Channel Eurostar.
Video footage of a British Transport Police officer and a confrontation with a man at King’s Cross railway station in London has been shared online
The officer was seen to be edging back from the confrontation on Wednesday afternoon
Footage of Wednesday afternoon’s incident at King’s Cross has been posted on Instagram
British Transport Police have since said that their enquiries into the incident have now ended
A clip showing the confrontation was posted on Instagram by a user with almost 54,000 followers, who added: ‘Kicking Off at Kings Cross station – Police try stopping a suspect.’
People commenting below the video shared on Instagram debated the officer’s response.
Some suggested she should have done more while others sympathised with her situation, with one writing: ‘She completely managed to get the suspect stopped.’
Another said: ‘She’s only a PCSO, they don’t have nearly the same powers as regular officers.’
Officers have now revealed how there were reports of a suspected bag thief at the station but they have now ended their enquiries.
A British Transport Police spokesperson today told MailOnline: ‘We’re aware of a video online which shows a PCSO responding to a report from rail staff that a bag thief was operating in King’s Cross station.
‘She was supported by police officers who arrived shortly after, and it was established following enquiries that no offences had taken place.
‘We are proud of our PCSOs in BTP, who in this case responded quickly and proactively, within the confines of their role, in order to keep the public safe.’
BTP said they were aware of a video shared online showing ‘a PCSO responding to a report from rail staff that a bag thief was operating in Kings Cross station’
The force also praised for police colleagues who went to help at King’s Cross on Wednesday
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MailOnline revealed last month how more than 4,100 crimes were recorded last year at King’s Cross St Pancras – more than any other station on Transport for London’s entire network.
Crime rates on the capital’s transport systems have more than doubled since 2016, from nine per every million journeys to more than 21 last March.
Similarly, offences have risen on the Overground, DLR and Elizabeth line, which opened in 2022.
Across all Underground, Overground, DLR and Elizabeth line stations – excluding stations outside the London fare zones 38,000 crimes were reported to the BTP in 2024, according to their data – equivalent to 104 per day.
Data includes crimes committed at the stations themselves and those committed on trains either at or arriving into that station.
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