Mikaela Kellner, veteran police officer of 11 years, made the strangest arrest of her career on July 28, 2016. While visiting Ralambshovsparken, a local park in Stockholm, Sweden, Kellner and her friends were approached by a man selling magazines. The man claimed the sale of the magazines would go to help the homeless. Little did they know the sale was just a ruse to distract the group long enough for the pickpocket to make off with their valuables. The thief had no idea the woman in a bikini was an off duty police officer.
In an interview with Swedish newspaper The Local officer Kellner said,
I told my friends to keep an eye on their things. But as soon as he left one of my friends said ‘where did my mobile phone go?’ I just acted on instinct and didn’t think about it so much until after we had pinned him down. When I sat there I looked over at our other two friends who are not police officers and realized that it probably looked pretty funny. But I would have stepped in no matter my outfit.”
She later described the encounter on an Instagram post featuring a photo of the arrest,
A poor homeless guy who you’d have thought would do right for himself. He sells magazines instead of stealing!! When we decline to buy his magazines he takes the opportunity to steal my friend’s mobile phone!! Very skillfully since he slipped down his magazine over the phone and takes it with ease!! Bad luck for him that he tried to steal from two cops!! My first arrest dressed in bikini during my 11 years as a cop!! Pretty fun and comfortable I have to say! Look out for pickpockets, keep an eye on your valuables!!”
(Translated from Swedish)