Overview
- City of London Police executed early-morning warrants on 26 February, arresting four men aged 18, 19, 21 and 31 on suspicion of conspiracy to commit theft and fraud; all remain in custody.
- Investigators allege the group befriended pubgoers, persuaded them to unlock phones to check maps or save numbers, then snatched the devices.
- Police say more than £300,000 was stolen, with the phones used for high-value tech purchases and to siphon thousands in cryptocurrency.
- Detective Inspector Kev Hughes said phone snatching is not a victimless crime and credited operations with a 40% year-on-year fall, pledging further patrols and financial investigations.
- The force is offering phone-marking and security advice, and the Met’s commissioner has urged tech firms to harden devices and courts to curb bail for repeat offenders.