A suspected shoplifter lost his new baseball cap as he made off with handfuls of designer goods in London’s swanky shopping district – with two security guards in chase.

The alleged bandit tore through New Bond Street on Thursday afternoon, clutching tightly to shopping bags from fashion powerhouse Louis Vuitton and lifestyle brand New Era.

Shocked onlookers enjoying their lunch al fresco at Cecconi’s Mayfair on Burlington Gardens looked on as the suspect ran past with two smartly dressed security guards in hot pursuit.

The suspect even lost his new lime green baseball cap, believed to be among his ill-gotten haul given that images appear to show the price tag on it.

But the alleged thief, dressed in dark T-shirt, shorts and trainers for making a quick getaway during the warm summer weather, was able to steal a march on the pair, before winding his way down side streets to make good his escape.

The alleged shoplifter (left) lost his new cap while being chased by well-dressed security through London on Thursday 

Security (right) chased the alleged shoplifter through London’s swanky shopping district, along New Bond Street, before giving up

Members of the public sat having lunch in Cecconi’s Mayfair on Burlington Gardens looked on as the drama unfolded

The alleged thief, wearing a black T-shirt and shorts, was able to make off with items believed to have been swiped from New Era and Louis Vuitton 

A diner at Cecconi’s Mayfair (left) looks up to see the suspected thief sprinting past him with designer shopping bags

A lime green baseball cap, which still appears to have its price tag on the underside of the peak, was left behind in the commotion, as two security guards give up the chase

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It is understood the Louis Vuitton bag contained pairs of expensive sunglasses.

One eyewitness said a member of the public even handed back an item the alleged thief dropped on the ground after shaking off the security guards.

He told MailOnline: ‘Everybody turned around to see what was going on because the security guards, I think they were from Louis Vuitton, were chasing after him telling him to stop.

‘I think they had been chasing him from nearly Piccadilly Circus, then along Burlington Gardens, but he was able to outrun them.

‘Everybody in the restaurant turned around to look, but nobody stopped him or got their phones out to video – they just looked at him.

‘I saw the man further up the road and it looked like he dropped something, and a member of the public actually handed it back to him as though it was his.’

A Met Police spokesman confirmed said it had not received any allegations of shoplifting from the store at this time. 

Earlier this month a new map revealed nearly 52,000 mobile phones were stolen in the capital last year as criminals on mopeds and e-bikes use violence and distraction techniques to target victims.

The worst-hit borough was the City of Westminster, where tourists flock for theatre shows and high-end shopping, with 18,863 reported incidents in the year to December – up 47 per cent from 12,836 in the previous 12 months.

Camden was the second worst affected, with 4,806 incidents, followed by Southwark (4,376), Hackney (2,761), Newham (2,585), Lambeth (2,394) and Islington (2,117). In London as a whole more than 52,000 phones were stolen last year.

In April, horrifying footage was shared on social media of a thief on a bike grabbing a woman’s mobile phone from her hands in Albany Place, Marylebone.

The clip was uploaded with the caption: ‘Keep your head on swivel when in London.’