A gang admitted stealing £350 from the Tower of London moat donated by tourists to the Royal British Legion.

The four men, all Romanian nationals of no fixed address, were seen by staff and visitors scooping up coins in front of the Traitors’ Gate on January 31.

A tourist shouted at the men and they attempted to run away from the scene.

Tower of London staff and army personnel chased after the men and they were detained at the landmark.

Leronim Cancel, 24, Tarciziu Cancel, 22, Albert Pruteanu, 19, Istoic Ionut, 22, all pleaded guilty the following day during a hearing at Thames Magistrates’ Court.

They were each given a six month conditional discharge order and ordered to pay victim charges of £16.

On Friday Metropolitan Police officers returned the money to a Yeoman Warder at the Tower of London.

PC Lee Juniper said: “It was a privilege to return the donated money to the Royal British Legion.

"The officers who assisted in the arrest of the four men were new recruits, on their very first day out in Tower Hamlets."