A man who stole luggage, including a laptop, from 11 passengers at King’s Cross rail station has been jailed for two years.

Meetak Zargo, 26, of Falklands Road, Harringay, carried out a string of thefts at the station between August and October last year.

He would loiter around before boarding trains, snatching luggage from racks and jumping off before the trains departed. His victims were often unaware of the theft until they arrived at their destinations.

British Transport Police (BTP) began tracking Zargo and learning his methods from CCTV footage on trains and platforms. Plain-clothes officers finally arrested him on November 2, after spotting him acting suspiciously at the station.

Det Con Ian Waudby, the BTP theft team investigating officer, said: “Zargo’s actions were accomplished and well-planned. He knew exactly what he was doing, to the point where, even on busy services, passengers had their belonging stolen from above their heads without them even noticing.

“In one incident in October 2011, Zargo even had the audacity to commit two thefts within half an hour of one another. At 7pm, he boarded a train and stole a bag while still carrying a laptop he’d stolen from another service.”

On searching his home, officers found a number of suitcases and bags. Their contents ranged in value from �600 to �2,200.

Last Friday (February 24) at Blackfriars Crown Court, Zargo pleaded guilty to 11 counts of luggage theft and one count of stealing a bicycle.

He was sentenced to two years in jail for each offence, to run concurrently. He was also recommended for deportation to his native Algeria on release.

Det Con Waudby added: “I’m in no doubt that Zargo was fully aware of his actions and intended to get away with stealing as much as possible. I welcome the sentence handed down to him.”