A Polish man has been arrested after he pretended to be a mannequin in front of a store window before stealing from a shopping centre after it closed, police in Warsaw said.

"A 22-year-old with a bag in his hand froze motionless, pretending to be a mannequin in front of a shop window," police said in a statement. "In this way, he wanted to avoid being exposed by the cameras."

After the shopping centre closed the man on one occasion robbed a jewellery stand, according to police.

On another occasion he went into a restaurant to eat, before slipping under the roller-shutters at the entrance to a store to swap his clothes for new ones, police said. Afterwards he returned to have some more food.

However, he was eventually spotted by security personnel who called the police.

According to police, the man is also accused of stealing from another shopping centre, where they allege he took money from cash tills and tried to steal other items after it closed.

The suspect could face 10 years in prison.