In London, scooter snatch-theft is skyrocketing.

If you’re planning a visit there, you better read on. Simple awareness of this dangerous trending crime could save your skin and bones, besides your purse and phone.

Before I define the crime, listen: if you’re a tourist in London, you’re going to be in the danger zone. One street alone has had more than 240 scooter snatch-thefts. Tourists’ favorite areas are the thieves’ favorite areas.

London scooter snatch-theft

The crime: The bandits are usually two on a scooter, Vespa, moped, or motorbike. They’re often completely covered with jackets and full-head helmets. The victim is standing or walking along with a purse or bag—or most often the target is a mobile phone. The scooter speeds by and the backseat rider snatches the victim’s purse, or the phone right out of his/her hand. The scooter is extremely maneuverable so may even be driven slowly, up onto a sidewalk and right beside the target phone or bag.

The surprise: The scooters often come from behind. They ride onto pedestrian-only areas. The victim is just walking along, or even talking on his phone. There’s no warning.

The risk: The victim can be pulled to the ground, even dragged, as was Kirat Nandra, a 51 year-old woman whose ribs and hand were broken and who suffered a concussion when she was dragged by scooter snatch-thieves who grabbed her purse in September of 2017. She counts herself lucky that she wasn’t dragged into traffic.

Ms. Nandra’s experience is just one of many referenced in the BBC’s recent article, London’s moped crime hotspots revealed. I highly recommend this article to anyone planning a visit to London. The BBC reports 23,000 London scooter snatch thefts in 2017. 23,000!

That’s a three thousand percent increase over the 837 incidents in 2012, which already sounds high.

Police cite the proliferation of motorbike-type vehicles due to high car insurance rates, few parking places, and the increase in motorbike delivery services. People aren’t locking up their two-wheeled transportation machines and the theft of these provide thieves with more vehicles for scooter snatch-theft.

Police want locals to make their bikes theft-proof. Police want pedestrians to “be more aware of their surroundings.” That sounds like blame-transfer to me, but perhaps police can’t do more. The scooter snatch-theft bandits are completely covered so can’t be identified. Police are reluctant to pursue them in high-speed cycle chases through city streets.

But how are we to curtail use of our highly-desirable phones? We use them for everything out on the streets, not just voice calls. We look at maps and directions, bus and metro schedules, notes and address books. We take photos, we text. How can we “be more aware” while using such a Swiss army knife of a tool, an instrument that is basically an extension of our own hand?

If you’re going to London, you better be aware of the risk of scooter snatch-theft.

In the words of a London scooter snatch-theft driver

“We’re looking for people that are looking down, got their phones out, with their headphones in, in particular,” says a London scooter snatch-theft driver in the video below. “Anything that’s not securely wrapped around someone’s shoulder or someone’s back.” Walking with your phone out, “you’re asking for it,” he says. “The best people [to steal from] are the people that are standing up with their phones in their hand. We don’t even have to get off the bike, we just drive straight past, grab their phone and off we go.” Pointing out a pedestrian across the road, the disguised thief continues, “Very easy. I’ll maneuver him from behind. He’s not safe anywhere. As long as he’s distracted, that’s it. That’s all I need.”

Among his other advice (watch the video) he suggests that if you need to talk on your phone while on the street, put the phone away and use your earphones.

The drive-by thefts are widespread in London, but two districts are especially hard hit, as are several streets in particular. See the graphs and map tool in the linked article to learn the riskiest areas, but be on guard all across London. If possible, don’t carry a purse. Instead, keep valuables under your clothing in pouches or in pickpocket-proof underwear. Put away your phone when you’re not using it. Keep your ears tuned for the sound of scooters, and oil your neck for swift swiveling. Or… just try to stop walking when you use your phone on the street, back up against a building, and take a glance around. And if something is snatched, let it go.

Scooter snatch-theft isn’t new. It’s long been the M.O. of handbag and Rolex thieves in Naples, Italy. Unfortunately, it’s one of the more dangerous street crimes. If you’re going to London, read the mentioned above article and watch this video.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=5CgeTbJl31w%3Fversion%3D3%26rel%3D1%26showsearch%3D0%26showinfo%3D1%26iv_load_policy%3D1%26fs%3D1%26hl%3Den-US%26autohide%3D2%26wmode%3Dtransparent
6/6/18 Edit: How police are fighting moped theft crimes: Snatch squads to halt moped menace in London: police squads drag suspects from bikes in new tactic

6/10/18 Edit: Scooter snatch-theft perp had 13 mobile phones on him: Boy, 14, charged over seven moped robberies within one hour