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Phone Snatching in London Sees 151% Surge Despite Recent Police Crackdowns

Rosamund Pike's 2006 mugging highlights a broader rise in violent phone thefts, though recent police efforts have led to notable reductions in incidents.

Overview

  • The Metropolitan Police reported a staggering 151% increase in phone snatching incidents in London last year, with over 70,000 cases recorded.
  • High-profile victims of phone thefts include actress Rosamund Pike, who was mugged and punched in the face by a thief on a bicycle in 2006, leaving her and her mother distressed.
  • Recent police operations have shown progress, with phone thefts decreasing by 27% in November and 43% in December 2024, following targeted measures like increased CCTV monitoring and traffic unit deployments.
  • The City of Westminster remains the worst-hit borough, recording 18,863 phone theft incidents in 2023, followed by Camden and Southwark.
  • Authorities, including London's Deputy Mayor for Policing, are urging tech companies to implement measures to make stolen phones harder to sell or repurpose.