TikTok prankster Mizzy convicted of theft for stealing woman’s iPhone before being apprehended by police

30 April 2024 , 07:33

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TikTok prankster Mizzy convicted of theft for stealing woman’s iPhone before being apprehended by police

TikTok prankster Mizzy, real name Bacari OGarro, 19, was knocked off balance by an officer’s baton when he tried to dodge police while on an e-bike, a court heard

TikTok prankster Mizzy has been found guilty of stealing a woman’s iPhone before he was tackled by a police officer.

The social media menace, real name Bacari O’Garro, 19, biked up to Ruby Hewitt and nabbed her iPhone in Islington, London, on June 15, 2022. Officers originally saw the teen on an e-bike with a white t-shirt wrapped around his head and went to see if he was alright. But officers saw O’Garro threw a "reflective object" into the bushes before he tried to quickly pass an officer. 

PC James O’Neill told Highbury Magistrates’ Court that he used a baton to disrupt the teen’s balance. He threw what at the time I believed was a knife because it was a reflective object," PC O’Neil said. "I had at that point drawn my baton as he was cycling towards me at speed and I used my baton to knock him off balance. "At that point he came off the bike and continued to make off on foot. He turned left on Highbury New Park and made off into an estate."

Mizzy became infamous over his numerous TikTok pranks and stunts ( Image: PA)

Prosecutors successfully proved O’Garro stole the phone when his finger prints on the phone case matched ones stored on the DNA database. Magistrate Fros Kyriacou convicted O’Garro of one count of theft and he will be sentenced at a later date. Ms Hewitt said the incident left her feeling "stressed, anxious and scared" when her £1,000 phone was taken. She recognised it as her phone as her screensaver shows her blonde cockapoo, MailOnline reported. O’Garro had claimed during the trial that a friend passed him the phone and that he was unaware it had been stolen. 

Earlier this month, Mizzy told The Mirror he had stepped away from his menacing behaviour and was trying different jobs to see what best fit him. "I’m trying to build up a rapsheet of work so I’m looking at different avenues to go down, doing a CSCS (construction skills certification scheme) course is one of them.," he said. "I’m also doing an internship at VPN News writing my own articles on touching subjects at the moment."

"Now I’m trying to progress further in different aspects of my life and change any negative perceptions on me and, of course, I won’t be able to change everyone’s mind due to how I’ve portrayed myself in the past on social media but I hopefully resonate with the people who understan (sic)," he added in an April 10 post shared on X, formerly Twitter. Many of those who commented on the thread on X shared messages hoping he would indeed change his life around. Others were unsure about whether he was being serious.

James Smith