Watch the moment a bewildered pedestrian has his phone plucked from his hands by moped drivers
The man was texting as he walked across the busy street when the phone thieves pounced
A MAN has been left stunned after a moped driver snatched his mobile out of his hand in broad daylight.
The moment the bewildered pedestrian was taken advantage of was captured on CCTV footage with police releasing the footage with a stern warning for people to be more aware of their surroundings.
The footage shows the 26-year-old man was strolling along the pedestrian crossing on Cannon Street when two mopeds drove onto either side of him on Monday May 16.
As the man, wearing a collared shirt and black pants and holding a dark backpack in his left hand, walked across the pedestrian crossing just after 1.30pm, he stopped to let one speeding moped past.
It was then that the driver reached out and plucked the phone from the pedestrian’s right hand while the other moped boxed him in.
The perfectly timed crime meant that the surprised pedestrian had nowhere to go.
The footage shows the surprised pedestrian then forced to stare after the mopeds, who sped off along Cannon Street, Central London.
The snatch was just one of the increasing incidences of distracted pedestrians being taken advantage of.
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Newly released figures from City of London Police have revealed a phone snatch offence is reported at least once every three days between April 2015 to March 2016.
The 131 reported offences have been estimated to amount to close to £40,000 in stolen property.
Since April 2016, there have been 28 offences in the Square Mile.
City of London Police Detective Inspector Doug Blackwood said: “Phone snatchers are taking advantage of people in the City who are vulnerable to theft; either because their focus is elsewhere or they’re under the influence of alcohol after leaving a bar or club.
“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.”
He said the personal information carried on a phone could make a stolen phone even more concerning.
Detective Inspector Blackwood said: “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.”
Police have now urged anyone who sees any suspicious activity or have any information about who is committing these crimes, to contact them on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.