Boss of celebrity pizzeria in Notting Hill in 90-minute chase to catch thief who stole customer's bag

The boss of a celebrity pizzeria was hailed a hero today after a 90-minute chase to catch a thief who snatched a bag from one of his diners.

Marco Spagnolo, 37, ran up to four miles through west London in pursuit of the bag-snatcher who had targeted the Luna Rossa restaurant, where he is general manager, in Notting Hill during lunchtime service.

A couple walked into the restaurant — where the likes of Johnny Depp, Cara Delevingne and Pixie Geldof have dined and owned by the Made In Italy group — and snatched the bag from the counter while its owner was in the bathroom.

Mr Spagnolo and waiter Federico Parisi, 26, ran after the man and woman and grabbed back the black handbag after confronting them round the corner, despite Mr Parisi being punched.

The couple fled and Mr Spagnolo went in pursuit of the man. He described the chase as going on for “about four miles in distance zig-zagging through the streets. I saw him run and I just saw red and the adrenaline started pumping. I ran and ran. We jumped over garden walls — it was like something out of a cop movie.

“I play a lot of football so I am pretty fit. He looked surprised that I was still behind him. I was on the phone to the police as we ran. At one stage he turned to me and said, ‘I am going to kill you,’ but because he saw I was not scared he did nothing. Then we carried on running.”

He finally cornered the man an hour and half later at a building site over a mile away near Portobello Road. The police searched him but released him because he was not found to have any stolen goods.

The victim, theatre and film director and producer Lucrezia Pollice, 22, is planning to make an official report of the crime. She praised the “heroic” staff at the restaurant in Kensington Park Road. Her bag contained a MacBook as well as bank cards and her passport.

“Thank God he ran after him,” she said. “That bag had my life in it, I had a month’s worth of work in there. I was crying, I was so worried. They were so amazing, Federico was even punched by the suspect. I couldn’t believe they’d do this to help a customer. I just feel so grateful.”

Mr Spagnolo, who lives with his wife in Chiswick, said police officers praised his work, and asked whether he would consider a career with the Metropolitan Police.

Mr Parisi, 26, who lives in Willesden Green, said: “It was a very unusual day at work, but a good one. This is one of the most exciting things that’s happened to me.”

A Metropolitan police spokeswoman said they were called to the restaurant on Thursday afternoon.

“Officers were informed a man had made off after stealing a customer’s bag and assaulting a waiter. A man was stopped and detained in Faraday Road by officers, was searched and was not found in possession of any property. The victim left the scene prior to police arrival.”