CCTV footage shows the moment officers pounced on masked thieves as they raided a north London shop.
Three hooded men, wearing balaclavas and yellow rubber gloves, can be seen entering the Co-Op branch in Homerton High Street as one leaps over the counter.
Officers, who were in the back of the store on a stakeout operation over concerns about shoplifting, ran into stop them as they saw the action unfold on CCTV.
One of the criminals is seen being tackled in midair as he jumps from the counter before landing on a stack of beer boxes.
He is then pinned to the ground by officers and handcuffed.
Two of the men were arrested and later charged, while police are still trying to identify the third man involved.
Donavan Soloman, 37, from Beckenham, southeast London, was jailed for 10 months after pleaded guilty to burglary and criminal damage at Wood Green Crown Court.
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Lee Moise, 38, from Edmonton, northeast London, was jailed for a year after admitting the same offences at Snaresbrook Crown Court.
The Metropolitan Police described both as prolific shoplifters. Soloman has four previous convictions for theft, and Moise had ten.
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Inspector Mohammed Uddin said: “Across the Met we’re focused on tackling the most prolific shoplifters as we know the fear they cause retail workers and the negative impact their offending has on communities.
“We’re working with local business owners to understand their concerns and we’ll continue our crackdown with operations such as this one as well as our regular patrols.”
Police said the work of officers in Homerton has led to six prolific shoplifters being jailed over the past seven months.
