mobile phone thefts

[jobeth54]

watch out as there is a group of people targeting people on mobile phones to steal them. I was walking home from work and a motorbike pulled up in front of me and they tried to grab my phone. spoke to police and it has been happening a lot in the last 36 hours....be aware all you lovely east Dulwich people!!

[handymaneast dulwich]

Was driving home last Friday and a motorbike with 2 up grabbed a phone from a young girl. I tried to stop them but with them on a motorbike i had no chance.

Dark silver motorbike

[jobeth54]

What time was it? ,cause it happened to me at around 6.45 pm on last Friday evening. Did you call the police?? there is a special team investigating these crimes locally and the more evidence and reports they have the more they can catch these people.

[handymaneast dulwich]

Around 6pm i stopped a police car down the road and they said to me its the 4th one that day

[jobeth54]

yes i heard a similar thing, it is very common at the moment

[JohnL]

Half of this is be VERY unfriendly - and we wonder why

http://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/mobile-security-heres-how-to-beat-phone-thieves-in-london-10197681.html

People in my personal space do get my evil glare ;)

[kford]

All linked to the ongoing spate of motorbike thefts, made all the more possible by the police having their wings clipped in the pursuit of the perpetrators.

[jobeth54]

none of these happened to me.....i was walking along texting and they came up in front of me, mounting the pavement on a motorbike, the passenger tried to grab it whilst i was holding it in my hand, i had a tight grip so he didnt get it, the driver kept the motorbike moving so they were failed in their attempt.

[jobeth54]

yes the police officer told me they have to get authorisation before following these guys, and the thieves know that the police are restricted too he said

[handymaneast dulwich]

I recognised the bike and i know that almost every night on Sydenham hill they race up and down around 20 of them on quads and motorbikes wearing balaclavas

[handymaneast dulwich]

Anyone have 50ft of thin razor sharp wire going spare?

[P.O.U.S.theWonderCat]

Well, that's a proportionate response.

[JohnL]

P.O.U.S.theWonderCat Wrote:

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> Well, that's a proportionate response.

If you have a volatile personality though, you have to be careful

as they have rights. It would be so easy to give a moped a good shove

and something bad happens.

[prit]

Again tonight about 1830 on court lane. Reported to police.

[uncleglen]

1830- just as it's getting dark...in the dark the light from the phone will attract thieves. I bet the thieving scum can't wait for you know when.

[Robert Poste's Child]

Hate to say it and it's not my intention to offend, but you can protect yourself to a great extent by not walking along using your phone as they can't see it and you're more likely to see them and have time to give them the evil eye. Same with jewellery. Stations are always a hotspot so at least don't take the phone out till you're well clear. Hope they're caught or fall off and put themselves out of action.

[jobeth54]

I do not take offence at all, its a very sensible idea and I wont be holding my phone texting again, unless an emergency. I am also advising others to do the same. I hope they are caught too. also there are self defence classes around, which I have found and will be starting, it can feel vulnerable as a woman in cities so no bad thing to gain some confidence.

[Robert Poste's Child]

Sounds very sensible. As a woman below average height who lives alone I've got into the habit of being defensive about my safety. London is a way safer place to walk around in than it was thirty or so years ago but somehow I never lost the habit.

[Penguin68]

If you need to use your phone (for instance for checking bus times, calling an Uber etc. (all of which are often station associated activities) it is best to stop, turn your back to the road (or have something between you and the road) and hold the phone close and firmly - all of which will tend to discourage the moped based thief. Also take account of your surroundings. Walking along the street blithely texting or checking social media only advertises your vulnerability. There are circumstances when phone usage should only be on a need to, not a nice to, basis.

Of course we shouldn't have to be protecting ourselves from the malevolent - but needs must. Using your phone as a distraction from a commuting walk, for instance, may not be the wisest choice.

[KidKruger]

I think the danger with self defense classes (especially early on) is students take confidence from practicing in a centrally heated, soft-matted, friendly environment where they pay the teacher to make them feel good (this is basically what happens) and take this 'confidence' (another spelling would be 'dillusion') into the real world. They think they can do more than they actually can and come off worse than if they'd done nothing. Takes a long time to be effective.

Happy to read proof to the contrary.

[JohnL]

KidKruger Wrote:

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> I think the danger with self defense classes

> (especially early on) is students take confidence

> from practicing in a centrally heated,

> soft-matted, friendly environment where they pay

> the teacher to make them feel good (this is

> basically what happens) and take this 'confidence'

> (another spelling would be 'dillusion') into the

> real world. They think they can do more than they

> actually can and come off worse than if they'd

> done nothing. Takes a long time to be effective.

> Happy to read proof to the contrary.

To be fair - although my Karate teacher was pretty

aggressive he always emphasized the first thing to do

is run if you can and there's somewhere to run to.

My technique is usually the dead cat technique (say

something so out there everyone just steps back then

quietly leave).

[Penguin68]

They think they can do more than they actually can and come off worse than if they'd done nothing. Takes a long time to be effective.

I was trained (in self defence, not formal 'martial arts) , many many years ago, by a former (wartime) Royal Marine Commando RSM. His advice was 'run first' - but if you have to fight make sure the opponent doesn't get back up. But unless you keep up practicing these skills (I definitely don't) running and screaming seem a good option. Just going to a class (or even classes) and then fancying your chances simply isn't a real option even only a few months afterwards.

[JohnL]

Penguin68 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> They think they can do more than they actually can

> and come off worse than if they'd done nothing.

> Takes a long time to be effective.

>

> I was trained (in self defence, not formal

> 'martial arts) , many many years ago, by a former

> (wartime) Royal Marine Commando RSM. His advice

> was 'run first' - but if you have to fight make

> sure the opponent doesn't get back up. But unless

> you keep up practicing these skills (I definitely

> don't) running and screaming seem a good option.

> Just going to a class (or even classes) and then

> fancying your chances simply isn't a real option

> even only a few months afterwards.

Hit the biggest one and hope the others run when he

goes down.

Don't think I have the raw power though so have to use

sneakier methods :)

[KidKruger]

This definitely works in the playground, but for us grown-ups (and with thieves) it's not so assured as it was back in school.

[Jules-and-Boo]

Practically, best to prepare for the worst and your phone being taken. I wouldn't advise getting into a fight over it.

Take regular back ups of data (no lost photos)

Regsiter with https://www.immobilise.com/

Tips on locking your phone so it can't be used - https://www.cnet.com/uk/news/android-users-can-now-lock-their-lost-devices-remotely/

If it doesn't benefit them to steal it, then it would reduce the thefts