This is the moment a bewildered construction worker had his phone snatched by an e-bike rider in one of London’s most affluent areas.
The capital’s phone theft epidemic claimed the builder as its latest victim on Park Lane, just a stone’s throw from the £1,345-a-night Dorchester Hotel.
CCTV captured a nearly identical crime in July, also opposite Hyde Park, when another unsuspecting man had his mobile snatched in broad daylight by a crook in all black.
The hi-vis and hard hat-wearing worker was walking through Mayfair with a colleague when the brazen thief, wearing all black, mounted the kerb and made off with his spoils.
Though the victim tried to chase after the thief, he was no match for the quick acceleration of the electric vehicle.
As the CCTV continues, we see the builder return into frame shortly after abandoning his chase opposite Hyde Park on Friday.
The theft comes amid an epidemic of similar crimes where electric bike riding crooks clad all in black target pedestrians holding their phones.
The Met Police have been contacted for comment on the latest incident.
Reacting to the shocking footage, one Londoner commented: ‘They have to do something about those bikes.’
Another added on social media: ‘I hate these bike thieves. So cowardly and nasty.’
‘Get a phone strap or don’t get your phone out,’ someone else suggested.
‘These a***holes are making my blood boil.’
A man had his phone stolen at the same spot on July 29, also by a man in all black riding the same style of bike – which resembles a dirt bike.
Police said then: ‘We understand the impact that mobile phone theft can have on victims – it’s an invasive and sometimes violent crime – and we’re committed to protecting Londoners and tackling this issue as we make the capital safer.
‘Met officers are targeting resources to hotspot areas, such as Westminster, Lambeth and Newham, with increased patrols and plain clothes officers which deter criminals and make officers more visibly available to members of the community.
‘We continue to use data and technology to build intelligence and track stolen phones to target offenders as we fight community crime.’
They also said police are working with phone companies to make it more difficult for phones to be reused and sold on.
‘We encourage people to report as soon as they can whenever they have been a victim of mobile phone theft, so officers can attend the scene and investigate swiftly,’ they added.
Nearly 52,000 devices were stolen in the capital in 2023, with the City of Westminster the worst-hit borough counting 18,863 reports.
Camden was the second worst affected, with 4,806 incidents, followed by Southwark (4,376), Hackney (2,761), Newham (2,585), Lambeth (2,394) and Islington (2,117). In London as a whole more than 52,000 phones were stolen last year.
Figures show 165,933 mobile phone thefts were reported to the Metropolitan Police between January 1, 2019 and December 31 last year – making up 52 per cent of the total in England and Wales.
Phone thefts rose by 20 per cent last year across England and Wales as a whole, according to figures released after a freedom of information request by The Times.
Police forces recorded 316,683 incidents between January 1, 2019 and December 31 last year, although the total will be higher because six forces failed to respond to the request and three refused to.
Criminals often use bikes and mopeds to snatch mobile phones from people, particularly at busy locations such as outside stations, shopping centres or concert venues. Often victims are approached from behind while talking or texting on phones. Criminals on mopeds or bicycles may mount the pavement to grab the phone or snatch it from the road. Sometimes when it’s a moped, a pillion passenger will snatch it.
While most thefts happen between six and ten at night, criminals operate during the day too, so always look out for what’s going on around you.
The Metropolitan Police has urged people to follow these steps to protect your phone:
Be aware of your surroundings
Use security features on your phone
Know how to identify your phone if it’s stolen
Never confront a thief or risk your own safety for the sake of your mobile
Source: The Metropolitan Police