Reece James, 21, a close friend of Tulisa Contostavlos has been shot dead in a reported gangland attack. The 21-year-old, who appeared with Tulisa in a video for rapper Nines, was shot in the head in a "pre-planned and targeted" hit, 100 miles from his home in London, reports the UK's Sun newspaper. Police found James' body in Boscombe, Bournemouth, at around 2.30am near where Somali drug gangs are said operate. A 22-year-old man was arrested. Reece was said to have been in the area with some friends for "a couple of months", though had filmed the video earlier this month with Tulisa and rapper Nines on the Church End Estate in Harlesden, North West London. The former N Dubz star caused controversy at the time, making a "C" symbol to the camera - the same sign that is used by Harlesden's notorious Church Road Soldiers gang. Tulisa claimed it was a reference to Camden, where she was born. Twitter tributes began flooding in last night, with one user writing, "RIP Reece James. Thoughts are with him and his family and friends". Local MP Tobias Ellwood described the killing as "a spill over from the drugs turf war in the capital", adding, "This was one London gang chasing down another, carrying out a professional hit and then going back".

Britain is in the grip of a pickpocketing epidemic as Eastern European gangs descend on London ahead of the Olympic Games.

A surge in sneak street thefts means more than 1,700 people fall victim every day – an increase of nearly a fifth in only two years, according to official crime  figures released yesterday.

At the same time, police warned that professional gangs from Romania, Lithuania and even South America who operate in capitals across Europe are heading to Britain, intent on cashing in on unwitting tourists at London 2012.

How they do it: A member of the pickpocket gang approaches a BBC reporter investigating the rise in thefts ahead of the Olympics

Keeping him occupied: The man speaks to the victim on the pretense of needing directions while another gang member approaches from behind

A BBC investigation exposed the tactics used by Romanian thieves, who were previously operating in Barcelona, to dupe their victims.

The criminals boasted of their ‘one-second’ theft techniques which leave targets unaware that anything has happened until  it is too late. They can make £4,000 a week taking wallets, smartphones and laptop bags. The goods are then shipped back to Romania and sold on the black market.

 Scotland Yard has made more than 80 arrests already and warned thieves the capital will be a ‘hostile environment’ in the coming weeks.

The Met has even drafted in a team of Romanian police officers to deal with the problem and patrol in the West End of London and Westminster during the Games. They will not have arrest powers.

Distracted: An accomplice (left) then plays drunk so he can get close enough to the target to strike

 

Sleight of hand: The 'drunk' man jostles around with the BBC reporter, making it harder for him to notice what is going on

 

Rich pickings: The sneering thief walks away with the wallet from the unsuspecting victim

Teamwork: The thief quickly hands the wallet to another member of the gang, who spirits it away

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: ‘These Romanian officers will prove to be a huge asset in cracking down on certain criminal networks who are targeting tourists in central London.’

Official statistics released yesterday showed pickpocketing thefts rose 17 per cent in the past two years.

In 2011/12, a total of 625,000 people fell victim, the Crime Survey of England and Wales showed.

That is an increase of more than 102,000 since 2009/10.

The vast majority of the total are classified as ‘stealth thefts’, but in 83,000 cases the victims’ possessions were ‘snatched’.

The manager of a nightclub where a teenager was murdered at the weekend believes the killer was part of a gang from out of town. The victim, named as 17-year-old Jordan Malutshi, from Clapham in London, died from a haemorrhage after being stabbed in the heart at The Face Bar in Chatham Street in the early hours of Sunday. Police were called after reports that a man had been injured at around 3.50am and carried out CPR before he was rushed to the Royal Berkshire Hospital where he later died. Jordan’s father Michael, a maths lecturer who had taught in Wandsworth before taking a job in Kazakhstan, was making his way home today to support his wife and is due to arrive in London on Wednesday. A family friend described Jordan as a “Polite and gentle guy” who had become "the big man in his house” helping his mother care for his younger sister and brother. His parents moved to London from the Democratic Republic of Congo before Jordan was born. Sharon Northmore, who runs The Face Bar and was there on the night, told the Reading Post: "There wasn't any fight or trouble during the night and it seemed like it was a planned thing. "I think the guys were from out of town because they just came and did it and went. "It seemed like someone may have had a beef with somebody at some point." The club insisted it operated a strict policy that anyone who looks under the age of 25 is asked for ID and believed the victim may have had a false document or was let in illegally via a fire exit. Mrs Northmore added: "We haven't had any problems for a long time, not compared to other places," "It was not as if anyone could have done anything." But Susan Jones, 60, who lives in a flat nearby in Cherwell Crescent in Trinity Place, said: "It was bedlam out there. I have lived here a long time and there has been a lot of disturbance. "I have been in touch with the manageress about incidents and often called the police, "I feel quite upset that I didn't do anything last night because it might have saved a life." Doug Ferguson, 24, from Chatham Street, said: "I have only lived here a few months and never seen any trouble outside the club, and I feel quite worried now to be honest with you. "Since Gospoda shut down things have been a lot quieter in the evening but I don't think I will be going up to this bar any time soon." The club was packed on the night with BBC 1Extra DJ Young Lion was performing at the venue along with DJ Genty, Pic Crew and Claasic Wonder Ents from 10pm with club due to close 4am. Clubber Sinead Gibson was at Face Bar that night celebrating her 41st birthday with friends. She said: "There were people crying. I don't know whether they knew who it was or whether it was just shock and horror. It could've been anyone, it's just devastating. "I know because of the type of music that people will think it was fully of troublemakers but nothing could have been further from the truth, everyone was having a good time. "There was no sense of any trouble during the night and I am shocked this has happened. It does leave a bad taste in your mouth." Police cordoned off Chatham Street for traffic heading off the IDR between The Butler pub and the roundabout where it joins Bedford Road with vehicles being diverted along Eaton Place. At least three police cars were parked up along with a forensic investigation unit and two other plain forensics vans with officers remaining at the scene throughout the day.

The manager of a nightclub where a teenager was murdered at the weekend believes the killer was part of a gang from out of town. The victim, named as 17-year-old Jordan Malutshi, from Clapham in London, died from a haemorrhage after being stabbed in the heart at The Face Bar in Chatham Street in the early hours of Sunday. Police were called after reports that a man had been injured at around 3.50am and carried out CPR before he was rushed to the Royal Berkshire Hospital where he later died. Jordan’s father Michael, a maths lecturer who had taught in Wandsworth before taking a job in Kazakhstan, was making his way home today to support his wife and is due to arrive in London on Wednesday. A family friend described Jordan as a “Polite and gentle guy” who had become "the big man in his house” helping his mother care for his younger sister and brother. His parents moved to London from the Democratic Republic of Congo before Jordan was born. Sharon Northmore, who runs The Face Bar and was there on the night, told the Reading Post: "There wasn't any fight or trouble during the night and it seemed like it was a planned thing. "I think the guys were from out of town because they just came and did it and went. "It seemed like someone may have had a beef with somebody at some point." The club insisted it operated a strict policy that anyone who looks under the age of 25 is asked for ID and believed the victim may have had a false document or was let in illegally via a fire exit. Mrs Northmore added: "We haven't had any problems for a long time, not compared to other places," "It was not as if anyone could have done anything." But Susan Jones, 60, who lives in a flat nearby in Cherwell Crescent in Trinity Place, said: "It was bedlam out there. I have lived here a long time and there has been a lot of disturbance. "I have been in touch with the manageress about incidents and often called the police, "I feel quite upset that I didn't do anything last night because it might have saved a life." Doug Ferguson, 24, from Chatham Street, said: "I have only lived here a few months and never seen any trouble outside the club, and I feel quite worried now to be honest with you. "Since Gospoda shut down things have been a lot quieter in the evening but I don't think I will be going up to this bar any time soon." The club was packed on the night with BBC 1Extra DJ Young Lion was performing at the venue along with DJ Genty, Pic Crew and Claasic Wonder Ents from 10pm with club due to close 4am. Clubber Sinead Gibson was at Face Bar that night celebrating her 41st birthday with friends. She said: "There were people crying. I don't know whether they knew who it was or whether it was just shock and horror. It could've been anyone, it's just devastating. "I know because of the type of music that people will think it was fully of troublemakers but nothing could have been further from the truth, everyone was having a good time. "There was no sense of any trouble during the night and I am shocked this has happened. It does leave a bad taste in your mouth." Police cordoned off Chatham Street for traffic heading off the IDR between The Butler pub and the roundabout where it joins Bedford Road with vehicles being diverted along Eaton Place. At least three police cars were parked up along with a forensic investigation unit and two other plain forensics vans with officers remaining at the scene throughout the day.