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2mo ago

Currys Debuts Purple ‘Mind the Grab’ Line on Oxford Street to Curb Phone Snatches

The scheme tests whether a simple nudge can sustain a recent drop in West End robberies by shifting pedestrian behaviour, training store staff in victim support, enlisting a university study to monitor results.

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Overview

  • Purple lines marked ‘Mind the Grab’ now stretch along Oxford Street kerbs to remind pedestrians to step back and keep phones hidden.
  • Westminster saw 34,203 mobile thefts in 2024—an average of one every 15 minutes—with just 0.8% of cases resulting in charges.
  • Currys has joined forces with Westminster Council, the Metropolitan Police and Crimestoppers to install the nudge and raise awareness on key high streets.
  • Trained store colleagues at the Oxford Street branch offer immediate victim support, including liaising with police, cancelling cards and arranging safe transport home.
  • Combined with hotspot patrols that have driven a 20% drop in West End robberies since April, the campaign is being independently evaluated by ICPR to assess its impact on theft rates.