Hike in Hackney’s mobile phone snatches: Thieves on bikes and mopeds take 48 in one day
Pc Stephen Poet - Credit: police
As many as 48 mobile phones are being snatched in one single day in Hackney, by thieves on mopeds and bicycles.
Hackney Council and the police have issues a new warning as figures for the crime continue to rise.
Criminals - who typically work in pairs on stolen mopeds - cruise around to target people using their mobile phones in public places.
They often mount pavements to grab the phones, putting both the victim and passers-by in danger.
Hoxton and Shoreditch are hotspots for the crime.
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But police are urging vigilance at all times - particularly at bus stops, outside train stations, pubs and clubs, and when wearing headphones.
The council’s safety chief, Cllr Caroline Selman, said: “This crime is on the rise across London generally, and in Hackney, we’re seeing up to 48 thefts a day – or two an hour – by criminals on both mopeds and bicycles.
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“Victims can be left shaken by the experience on top of suffering the inconvenience of losing a valuable possession.”
