A bad first date took a turn for the criminal after a man angered by his companion's refusal to pay for her share of the bar tab stole the woman's phone in retribution.

According to authorities in London, Kishore Nimmala and Fakhara Sultana met up at the posh Ruby Blue bar in Leicester Square after connecting through the online dating site Zoosk.

Following two rounds of drinks, Nimmala began to insist Sultana help him out with the £54 ($84) bill. "She informed the defendant that she didn't have any money with her and she assumed he would be paying for the evening," prosecutor Helen Thomas told the Southwark Crown Court.

Sultana ended the date, but Nimmala followed her to the nearby Tube station, badgering her for the money along the way.

Concerned that Nimmala's increasing belligerence was putting her in danger, Sultana took out her BlackBerry cellphone to call for assistance.

"At that point, the defendant grabbed her mobile phone from her hand and ran off down the street with it," said Thomas.

A screaming Sultana gave chase and was soon joined by a pair of policemen. Nimmala ditched the phone and attempted to flee, but was ultimately chased down.

He later told the cops he took Sultana's phone because "she took my money," but claimed he didn't intend to keep it and only wanted to hold it hostage until Sultana "paid her share."

A verdict in the theft trial is pending.

[H/T: Guy Code Blog, photos via Shutterstock, manip by Jim Cooke]