New footage shows the moment an army of youths caused chaos in a Marks and Spencer shop in London as police officers watched.

Customers were left terrified as the mob of teenagers took over the food hall in Clapham, south west London, on Saturday before a mass brawl broke out.

Video shows more than a dozen youths pushing each other and running riot in the frozen food aisle as three police officers stand in the middle.

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The officers appear to try and control the group by gently pushing a few of the teens, which has little impact.

A number of youngsters stand at the side to film the chaos on their phones, before one girl appears to run away crying in pain as an officer tries to comfort her.

The Met Police today confirmed a group of around 100 youths targeted a number of retailers, including M&S, in the area on Saturday.

Three girls, two aged 16 and one aged 15, have since been arrested for shoplifting and assault after ‘anti-social behaviour and stealing’ took place at businesses on Clapham High Street.

Footage of the incident in M&S has gone viral on social media, with viewers branding the ordeal yet another example of lawless London.

Saturday’s scenes have become somewhat commonplace in the capital in recent years, echoing similar events which saw officers overwhelmed or powerless to stop the crime happening in front of their eyes.

A mob of teenagers took over a Marks and Spencer food hall in south west London on Saturday
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A mob of teenagers took over a Marks and Spencer food hall in south west London on Saturday

Met Police officers appear to try and control the group by gently pushing a few of the teens, which has little impact
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Met Police officers appear to try and control the group by gently pushing a few of the teens, which has little impact

One girl within the group appears to run away crying in pain as an officer tries to comfort her
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One girl within the group appears to run away crying in pain as an officer tries to comfort her

Are police doing enough to tackle rising shoplifting and youth disorder in London?

A Met Police spokesperson said: ‘Tackling shoplifting and anti-social behaviour continues to be a priority for the Met, and we’re doing more to take action against offenders and support local businesses.

‘This proactive approach saw a 44 per cent increase in arrests last year, while shoplifting across London fell by four per cent.

‘At around 16:45hrs on Saturday, 28 March, police responded to reports of a group of around 100 young people causing anti-social behaviour and stealing from a number of businesses on Clapham High Street.

‘Officers imposed a dispersal order and made three arrests. Three girls, two aged 16 and one 15-year-old girl, were arrested for shoplifting and assault. They have since been bailed.’

In February last year, a ‘marketing stunt’ in London descended into chaos as a mass flash mob of schoolchildren took over an unattended police car, chanting ‘f*** the feds’.

Footage showed hundreds of youngsters gathered around as at least ten boys, some wearing stolen police uniforms, hijacked an emergency vehicle in Broadwick Street, Soho.

Met Police officers then swooped in on the scene, with hundreds of children sent fleeing through the streets after the sound of sirens brought the stunt to an abrupt stop.

Police confirmed the police vehicle suffered damage and that contents from inside were stolen.

At the time, two boys under the age of 16 were arrested on suspicion of theft, criminal damage and affray.

People later posted about the incident in Clapham on social media, writing: 'Rare aesthetic: you went to Clapham courts yesterday'
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People later posted about the incident in Clapham on social media, writing: ‘Rare aesthetic: you went to Clapham courts yesterday’

A large group of youths gathered in Clapham over the weekend, when the M&S incident took place
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A large group of youths gathered in Clapham over the weekend, when the M&S incident took place

Last year, a 'marketing stunt' in central London descended into chaos as a mass flash mob of schoolchildren took over an unattended police car
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Last year, a ‘marketing stunt’ in central London descended into chaos as a mass flash mob of schoolchildren took over an unattended police car

A month earlier, a gang of hooded youths raided an Apple store in a brazen daytime heist in the capital.

Footage showed at least eight robbers, all dressed in black, targeting the tech giant’s store at the Brent Cross Shopping Centre in north London in January last year.

A sea of shoppers, including parents with young children, could be seen dramatically fleeing the Apple store as the mob ripped out expensive devices around them.

At the time, the Met Police said it had arrested six youths between the ages of 14 and 18 on suspicion of robbery.

Some 12 people were later charged in relation to a string of thefts that targeted Apple stores in London, including one adult and 11 teenagers.

One 14-year-old boy was given a nine-month referral order and told to pay £100 compensation to each security guard within a year.

Just last month, footage showed the moment passers-by were forced to confront machete-wielding thieves as they smashed their way into a jewellers on a moped.

Four figures clad in black and motor helmets raided a Turkish gold shop in Green Lanes, north London, but brave locals fought back.

CCTV footage showed the chaos, with one of the men threatening onlookers with a machete while another passed fistfuls of jewellery to the getaway driver.

The robbers have still not been found, according to reports.

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Have you witnessed similar incidents on London high streets?

What’s your view?

Last year, a gang of youths could be seen entering an Apple store in London as a security guard blocked one from coming in
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Last year, a gang of youths could be seen entering an Apple store in London as a security guard blocked one from coming in

Shocked shoppers watched on as the gang of youths fled the shop with devices just 20 seconds after the chaos started
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Shocked shoppers watched on as the gang of youths fled the shop with devices just 20 seconds after the chaos started

Last month, footage showed the moment passers-by were forced to confront machete-wielding thieves as they smashed their way into a jewellers on a moped in north London
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View gallery

Last month, footage showed the moment passers-by were forced to confront machete-wielding thieves as they smashed their way into a jewellers on a moped in north London

Last year, a consortium of retailers warned London’s flagship high streets are at ‘serious risk’ without national action on crime.

Oxford Street has struggled in recent years as big names have moved out and it has become known for phone snatching, anti-social behaviour and theft – as well as the infamously tacky US-style sweet shops and souvenir stores.

Some empty shops have fallen into disrepair, while shoplifting has become an increasing problem and rough sleepers are a regular sight in storefronts.

Problems reached a peak in August 2023 when West End stores were forced to lower their shutters and lock customers inside after large groups of mainly young men and teenagers responded to a call on TikTok to join an ‘Oxford Circus JD robbery’.