London’s famous pickpocket hunter has been able to quit his full time job to catch thieves all day due to the sheer amount of donations he has received.

Diego Galdino has said he has been able to ‘up his game’ due to the sheer generosity of Londoners who are sick of have having their phones and wallets snatched.

He has raised more than £20,000, and at the height of his viral success he was receiving around £1,000 per week.

This has meant being able to give up his job as a delivery rider, and invest in better equipment.

He told Metro: ‘We have got better cameras which are set up so they are always on and ready to capture them.

‘We have also bought three stab vests after a few aggressive moments.’

Although Diego and his team still need more donations to keep going, he has even been approached by – but turned down – advertisers.

This includes gambling companies and advertisers from the US, who offered him $15,000 for four posts over the space of a month.

‘But I couldn’t morally agree to it,’ Diego said. ‘The money they offered was insane and would solve all our problems, but I know gambling has ruined families.

‘Some of our supporters have said we need to start being open to ask for more money, but we don’t like doing it – it feels awkward.’

It comes after London was crowned as the most generous region in the UK, and the third most generous city, according to GoFundMe.

More than 529,000 of people living in the capital have donated to fundraisers.

GoFundMe CEO Tim Cadogan said: ‘We’ve seen people across the UK help each other in extraordinary ways this year, and Liverpool taking the top spot once again is a testament to the generosity of its community.

‘Glasgow’s finish in second place, driven by the over £3m raised as part of Sir Chris Hoy’s Tour de 4 challenge, shows just how powerful local action can be.’

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