A Brazilian woman had her gold chain snatched from around her neck while she was being interviewed on live TV about the city’s current crimewave.

The reporter dropped his microphone and set off after the thief, but the teenager managed to get away on the busy street.

The theft was captured on video by the crew from television station RJTV, who had been sent to Rio de Janeiro to interview people on the street about the wave of robberies that has engulfed the city ahead of the upcoming football World Cup.

The video will raise further questions about the state of security in the city that will host a number of matches during the summer sporting extravaganza.