Shocking Moment ‘Shoplifter’ Fell 20ft from Building while being Pursued by Police (Photos)

A suspected shoplifter, who was being pursued by police in London, is now fighting for his life in a hospital after falling 20 feet from an exclusive London store and sustaining serious head injuries.

The man – believed to be aged 60 –  fell backwards from the window and landed on his back in front of shocked City workers outside a branch of Molton Brown in Threadneedle Street.

DailyMail reports that officers from City of London Police were called at around 10.30 on Monday morning after receiving reports that a shoplifter was operating in Gracechurch Street. A short time later the suspect was seen entering a branch of Molton Brown in the Royal Exchange complex being
pursued by security and police.

Witnesses claimed he went upstairs in the building and suddenly began smashing an office window on the second floor with a chair. He then attempted to climb out of the window but caught his clothing on the jagged glass, lost his footing and fell to the pavement below.

One eyewitness said:

“Security or police were chasing him and he managed to get inside the shop and upstairs where he used the chair to smash the window of the shop. He started to climb out, but fell and somersaulted through the air where he landed on his back. He looked in a bad way to me.”

Footage of the incident has emerged online and shows how the injured man appeared to catch his leg on the ledge before tumbling downwards. Police described his injuries as ‘life-threatening’ and said he continued to be in a critical condition this morning.