Investigators passed around the man’s image after they played back the CCTV, watching him dip into the victim’s pocket while she paid for a train ticket.
Months later, on Wednesday 24 February, the same man was seen by officers acting suspiciously at Liverpool Street station.
He was arrested and jailed the next day for 24 weeks.
Inspector Matt Goldspink, of the theft of passenger property team, said: “There’s a lot of CCTV on the London Underground.
“How we typically use it is we keep all our officers aware of offenders. So, if criminals enter the network again, it’s very likely they can and will be identified.
“There is no time limit to offences, as was the case here, someone who commits a crime on the railway will remain on our radar, we will be watching for them.”
Mihai Roman, 39, of Kingsland Court in Luton, was sentenced at Westminster Magistrates Court. He was also ordered to pay £350, the cost of the stolen phone.
The pickpocketing offence itself took place on Saturday 17 October.
More news from Kingsland
