Published: 26 January 2012
by GEORGIA GRAHAM

POLICE have issued a warning over thieves on mopeds who snatch iPads and iPhones as they ride past their victims.

Those targeted are often looking at a map, sending a text or browsing Facebook – and then suddenly the expensive piece of kit in the palm of their hand has gone.

Camden officers have seen the number of offences soar over the past two years in the business districts of Holborn and Bloomsbury, but criminals are now moving into Camden Town and Hampstead and Highgate.

Most of the time they make off at speed with no chance of being caught – their faces covered by helmets and the mopeds are stolen.

Steven Colclough, of the Camden robbery squad based in Kentish Town, said: “It is very easy for them to get away without being identified, that is the difficulty with these attacks.

“They happen in a split second, often on a stolen moped, so even if people manage to identify the number plate, they are hard to trace.

They are often wearing moped helmets so their faces are covered.”

When offenders do get caught it is usually as a result of quick thinking.

A French tourist went into action without hesitation when his girlfriend’s phone was grabbed in Camden in November.

As the above CCTV images show, a scooter with two riders made a U-turn at Camden Lock, drove back up through one-way traffic, mounted the pavement and grabbed the woman’s phone.

But as the pair prepare to speed off with their loot it becomes clear the drama is far from over.

Fuming, the Frenchman threw himself at the pillion rider and unsteadied the bike – almost getting run over by a black cab in the process.

With a little help from the taxi driver and furious members of the public the pair were apprehended.

Lee Smith, 20, and Reece Nicholson, 19, were jailed for 24 months and 12 months respectively for the foiled theft.

Although police say that one of the reasons smart phones are targeted is because they are worth a lot of money and their maps and apps encourage users to use them ­frequently as they walk along, the same technology advancements can also be used to foil hapless robbers.

In a separate case, an iPad that was snatched from the hands of a man in Holborn was already equipped with a “Find My iPad” app.

On the man’s iPhone Camden officers could see a helpful dot on a map leading them directly to the iPad’s location.

When officers followed the dot the returning thief was just arriving home – with the iPad and a couple of other stolen phones.

Detective Colclough added: “It is becoming a blight on Camden.

These phones are worth hundreds of pounds and everyone has them – 12-year-olds have BlackBerrys and iPhones these days – and people can be a bit naive about how they use their phones.

“If you do need to use your phone outside on the street when you are walking along, have a look around to be aware of people on cycles or mopeds nearby.

“Use the phone on the wall side of the road, away from the road.

“Hold on to your phone securely.”