Hike in Hackney’s mobile phone snatches: Thieves on bikes and mopeds take 48 in one day

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.

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.

“Victims can be left shaken by the experience on top of suffering the inconvenience of losing a valuable possession.”