Beware of thieves on scooters in London
21 April 2016 - RPS Partnership
Contact [email protected] for more information and training on personal security in both the UK and overseas. Motorbikes in Mali are common and often used in many countries to steal handbags, laptop bags and phones. But this method is now closer to home and now is common in London.
The city of London Police, in the UK have just released this video to show the dangers of theives in London and how they are cunning in the ways that they are now stealing people's personal possessions. RPS Partnership has been advising people when travelling overseas to be low profile, to not get expensive items out of bags in the streets and to consider making phone calls inside a shop or restaurant to prevent theft.
CCTV footage shows a scooter rider snatching a mobile phone from a man as he walks across a street in central London. Watch here to see the thief snatching the phone. SKY News has written this great article which shows the dangers and RPS Partnership brings you the outline.
Police released the footage as they urged people not to use mobile phones by the roadside. The video shows the 26-year-old victim using a pedestrian crossing on Cannon Street in the City of London last month. As he steps on to the road, two scooters approach and riding either side of him, preventing him from moving out of the way. One of the riders then snatches the 26-year-old's phone from his hand.
Detective Inspector Doug Blackwood said: "People are using their phone, unaware of their surroundings, to check directions, book a cab or look for a route home, giving offenders on mopeds or bicycles the opportunity to snatch phones, sometimes using force to knock the phone out of the victim's hands or assaulting the victim to take it.
"I would urge people to consider using a hands-free device to make a call, not to text or use apps by the roadside, and to always plan their journey home.
"As well as having expensive phones stolen with all the inconveniences involved, the personal information contained on the phone may put people at risk of identity theft."
Since April 2015, 159 phone snatches have been reported in the Square Mile, Central London, UK, resulting in losses of tens of thousands of pounds, police said.
Watch here to see the thief on the scooter snatching the phone of a man in London.
The full article was written by Sky News and is here.
Contact us at [email protected] for more information on personal security courses and how to travel safely overseas.
Photo: Motorbikes in Mali