Lawless London latest: As public demand police crack down on mobile phone theft epidemic, Oxford Street gets a new pavement STICKER telling people not to become victims…
Shoppers on Oxford Street have called the street sticker warning people of phone snatchers a ‘joke’ and believe higher police presence on the busy road would be a more effective deterrent.
The purple sticker is an initiative by Curry’s to remind people to be mindful of using their phones on theft hotspot where one phone is snatched every 15 minutes.
It features a graphic of a hand holding a mobile phone and the slogan ‘Mind the Grab’ and is positioned in front of Curry’s and Miniso.
One man, who asked to remain anonymous, told Daily Mail: ‘The fact Curry’s have had to put this sticker outside is a joke.
‘The police don’t care.
‘No one gives a f*** if your phone with all of your pictures and emails and basically your whole life gets snatched by some lowlife on a bike they probably stole as well.’
Elsewhere, student Hareleen, 27, said: ‘I think there just needs to be more police presence. There’s more tourists around here so it’s going to be targeted more for theft.
‘This would never happen somewhere like Dubai because people there know they will be punished for it.
A purple line warning shoppers about phone thefts has been installed on Oxford Street
Student Hareleen (pictured), 27, said: ‘I think there just needs to be more police presence. There’s more tourists around here so it’s going to be targeted more for theft’
Samia (pictured), 21, said: ‘I think the sticker is a nice reminder for people, but the police should be patrolling up and down or standing around so that people are scared to snatch phones’
You could leave you phone and suitcase on the street over there and no one would dare to steal it.’
Some believe just a few officers being present in the area would help the issue.
Samia, 21, said: ‘I think the sticker is a nice reminder for people, but the police should be patrolling up and down or standing around so that people are scared to snatch phones.’
However, one shopper had doubts over whether or not the Met Police have the resources to do so.
Omkar, 22, said: ‘Ideally there would be more police walking around, but that’s man power and man power costs money.
‘It’s kind of out of their control now. They could get control of it again, if they are able to get more officers out.’
The student said he once lost his phone in his home country Mumbai and police still helped him get it back even though it wasn’t stolen.
‘Phone snatching isn’t a thing in Mumbai, you can leave phone on side and no one will touch it. It’s a high trust society. It’s not as high trust here.’
The anti-phone swiping campaign has been blasted as a ‘gimmick’ by a former Met police detective
Omkar, 22, said: ‘Ideally there would be more police walking around, but that’s man power and man power costs money’
Massimo, 51, from Italy, said: ‘Everyone has their head buried in their phones all the time, but if they put them in their pockets and actually looked around at the world instead, then the phone snatchers wouldn’t be able to take them’
Friends Benedict and Chloe were huddled by the wall of Curry’s shielding their phones as they looked on their maps for directions.
Benedict, 21, said: ‘I was here last week at 7pm and I heard someone screaming. They had their phone stolen, it was so bad.’
Chloe added: ‘There does need to be more police walking around. Our friend had her phone snatched here as well.’
Meanwhile, a tourist who was shopping with his family believes people are too addicted to their phones and phone theft can be avoided if they simply put them in their pockets.
Massimo, 51, from Italy, said: ‘I don’t like smart phones, I only have one for work.
‘Everyone has their head buried in their phones all the time, but if they put them in their pockets and actually looked around at the world instead, then the phone snatchers wouldn’t be able to take them.’
The public’s general opinion echoes that of London‘s Conservative leader who called for proactive policing to take priority in the capital after the Met endorsed the anti-phone theft street art.
Susan Hall has hit out at the initiative by Currys and accused Mayor of London Sadiq Khan of an ‘abdication of responsibility’.
Tory City Hall leader Susan Hall has called on Sadiq Khan to focus on proactive policing as she branded the Currys’ signage ‘useless’
Ed Connolly, Chief Commercial Officer, Currys, Superintendent Natasha Evans, Metropolitan Police, Westminster, and Kate Johnston, Director, Crimestoppers, standing in front of the purple line
Top Metropolitan Police brass threw their weight behind the ‘Mind the Grab’ publicity stunt, which has been permitted by the Labour-controlled Westminster Council, in the hopes it reduces thefts on a street where a phone is stolen every 15 minutes.
Researchers at the Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research at Birkbeck University will be studying the line to see if it encourages people to put their phones away and reduce theft levels – a principle known as ‘nudge theory’.
Experts reckon the combination of the visual reminder, and the play on the London Underground‘s famous ‘Mind the Gap’ slogan, will make people think twice.
But the Met’s endorsement of the scheme has prompted some criticism and calls for the force to focus on catching criminals.
Conservative leader Ms Hall asked: ‘How much money was wasted on this useless signage that could have been spent on policing Oxford Street and getting a grip on this endemic phone theft?
‘It’s a complete abdication of responsibility by Sadiq Khan and it makes my blood boil that more Londoners are having their phones stolen because of his inaction. He needs to get a grip, fast.’
The campaign, supported by Westminster Council and the Met Police, has been criticised for scaring people about phone thefts, rather than tackling the criminals themselves.
Currys says it plans to expand the scheme to other stores over time, with hopes of working with the government and local authorities to remind people to keep their phones hidden away in the open.
But Norman Brennan, a former police detective in London, called the campaign a ‘nonsensical gimmick’, and called for more police officers to tackle the phone theft crisis.
He said: ‘If you want to stop phone thefts, you want police officers on streets not purple lines.
‘We need to have 50 to 100 motorcyclists on duty 24/7 so that the streets of London have quick response units to challenge motorbike thefts.
The campaign aims to raise awareness and remind pedestrians to step back from the kerb and keep their phone hidden
An example of phone snatching in London where moped riders steal them from people’s hands
A woman’s phone is snatched from her hand next to the Oxford Circus junction in London
‘Police motorcyclists are class one drivers which means they are experts who can catch criminals quickly.
‘We have people from foreign countries saying beware about crime when they come to London.
‘The mayor and prime minister should be ashamed that countries around the world are saying beware of our crime.
‘What is it going to achieve, a purple line? People want to see a police officer to be patrolling the streets that reassures them and makes them feel safe.
‘All of these nonsensical gimmicks, we don’t want gimmicks we want police officers on our streets and a justice system that protects members of the public.’
The black market for smartphones is said to be driving soaring rates of theft, robbery and knife crime – with some criminals who were once involved in drug crime pivoting towards smartphone theft and robbery as an alternative means of illicit income.
Gangs of teens on bikes are said to be committing up to 20 thefts at a time in parts of London, with three-quarters of stolen devices in the capital being sent abroad.
High Streets UK, a group representing 5,000 UK firms, has calling for ring-fenced funding for police to protect key shopping destinations including Oxford Street.
The campaign to add a warning has been launched by Curry’s which is installing the purple line outside its store on Oxford Street.
The retailer has also set up a training scheme for its staff to offer support to victims of phone theft.
The Metropolitan Police Service is supporting the campaign, which they said is ‘part of its strategy’ to tackle phone theft.
The force announced it would roll out an additional 80 officers in the West End last week in a mass crackdown on petty crime including shoplifting and phone theft.
Superintendent Natasha Evans, the Met’s local policing lead for Westminster, said: ‘Officers are relentlessly pursuing criminal gangs intent on committing robbery and phone theft.
‘We have increased patrols in hotspot areas to identify and deter perpetrators – and robbery has reduced by 20 per cent in the West End since April.
The campaign has been launched by Curry’s which is installing the purple line outside its store on Oxford Street
Oxford Street has become a hotspot for phone thefts in an area of London which saw a phone stolen every 15 minutes
A thief steals a phone from a woman walking down a road in London’s exclusive Mayfair area
CCTV images show a moped mugger snatching a mobile phone from the hands of a City businessman without stopping
A cyclist thief stealing a man’s phone on the street during broad daylight in central London
‘We are putting extra officers into central London to help drive forward our focus on reducing crime and bringing offenders to justice.
‘We’re also working closely with businesses in the area and support the campaign by Currys to encourage people to be aware of their surroundings to reduce the risk of becoming a victim.’
While Oxford Street has lost big names such as Topshop, House of Fraser, Miss Selfridge, Dorothy Perkins and Debenhams in recent years, it has also seen a major new Ikea store and HMV reopen its old flagship outlet.
And London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has said he wants to pedestrianise 0.7 miles of the street as part of a regeneration project despite warnings this could make it a crime-ridden ‘no-go area’.
Westminster Council granted permission for the study to be trialled on one of the capital’s busiest streets.
Aicha Less, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children and Public Protection of Westminster City Council said: ‘As part of our ongoing efforts to keep residents and visitors safe, we are pleased to support Currys’ innovative approach to reducing phone theft.
‘This campaign is a great example of how we are working with partners to raise awareness about phone thefts and promote simple measures to stay safe in public spaces, such as keeping valuables out of sight and planning routes home in advance.
‘Working closely with the Met and other partners in the Safer Westminster Partnership, we are committed to identifying the key crime and disorder issues facing our city and making the West End a safer place for visitors, residents and businesses.’
The Metropolitan Police and Westminster Council have backed the campaign to warn shoppers about phone thefts on Oxford Street
CCTV captured a bike theft in July on Park Lane when another unsuspecting man had his mobile snatched in broad daylight by a crook in all black
Ed Connolly, Chief Commercial Officer at Currys added: ‘Phone theft isn’t just about losing a device – it’s frightening, invasive, and cuts people off from their loved ones, their money, and their daily lives.
‘Enough is enough. It’s time to draw the line on phone theft – that’s why we’ve launched the Mind the Grab campaign: a bold pavement marking we believe can make a real difference by encouraging people to step back from the kerb.’
‘This trial aims to raise awareness and encourage behaviour changes to help people feel safer. And if the worst happens, we’re here to help.
‘Our Oxford Street store colleagues will support victims – from calling loved ones and the police, to cancelling cards and helping them get home safely. Because practical, human support in those moments really matters.’
Kate Johnston, Director of Business & Fundraising at the independent UK charity Crimestoppers, which is also backing the initiative, said: ‘Mobile phone theft is not just a statistic—it’s a crime that leaves people feeling vulnerable and shaken. At Crimestoppers, our mission is to help make communities safer, and tackling the surge in phone theft is a crucial part of that work.
‘Innovative approaches like Currys ‘Mind the Grab’ campaign, which uses clear visual cues such as the purple line to remind people to step back from the kerb and keep their phones out of sight, show how simple, well-designed interventions can raise awareness and change behaviour to reduce crime.’
‘Prevention is only part of the solution. If you see suspicious behaviour or witness a theft, report it anonymously to Crimestoppers.
‘Your information, no matter how small, could help prevent further crimes and keep our streets safer for everyone. Together, by staying vigilant, adopting these simple safety habits, and sharing what we know, we can make a real difference.’
Daily Mail has approach The Met Police for comment.
