London Phone Snatching - Advice

[Stardust35]

Hi, I'm planning a solo day trip to London in a few weeks. There are a few things I want to do there, and I have a rare day off work coming up so wanted to take myself on a day out! I used to love going to London and visited friends there often but haven't been in a few years.

I keep hearing about phone snatching by criminals on mopeds, and am a bit worried how to prevent this. I'm likely to need my phone out a a lot for directions on google maps as I want to visit a few different places during the day. How common actually is this and does anyone have any way of minimising the risk? Or am I overreacting! Thanks x

I would take a cross body bag for this reason and never take it off . Just keep your wits about you esp on the tube . There are phone snatchers working the Tube stations . Beware of pickpockets too .

Don’t think it’s as common as the news would have you believe. Lived here 20 years and never seen it

I wear my phone round my neck on a cord. It's under my jacket most of the time, but easily accessible if I need it. Of course, if someone were to try to snatch it, I'd be strangled at the same time, but hey - them's the risks!

Cradle your phone. Lie it flat in the palm of your hand and then kind of spread your hand so you have a finger hooking over each of the three sides other than the one that is closest to you.

It happened to be near Kings Cross about 4 years ago to me - they grabbed but the way I held it meant they didn't get a proper grip so I held on tight and pulled it and they let go.

(It's only happened that one time though - you'll probably be fine, but be extra cautious around the big stations as they know that's where the tourists are)

On average 143 phones were stolen per day in London in 2023. Most common borough being Westminster

I’m a Londoner. Never seen it, never known it to happen to anyone. I am regularly in Angel/Kings Cross where someone above says it’s rife and I’m very sceptical of these anecdotal posts saying it’s commonplace. It really isn’t.

Just follow basic safety measures. I’ve never seen anyone with an A to Z. There’s a reason they’re not used anymore and if you want to flag yourself as a vulnerable tourist then being buried in one is a good way to go about it 🤣

Everyone has their phone out and holding it - for calls, to get on public transport, for fun. It isn’t an issue if you’re mildly alert.

It’s not an unsafe place. You’re very unlikely to experience any crime. The posts make it sound like you have to prepare for combat and buy special London safety paraphernalia. It literally bears no resemblance to the version of London I experience every single day. It’s safe for a major city. It’s also friendly. Don’t worry!

Never happened to me or anyone I know, but just be sensible like you would in any other situation. Pay attention to your surroundings. Keep your bag zipped to make it harder for pickpockets (although this has also never happened to me or anyone I know); don't leave your bag unattended, or sitting on the ground/on the back of your chair (if you're in a bar/cafe) and easy for a stranger to just pick up off the ground as they walk past; don't wave your phone around in the air whilst talking at maximum volume etc.

Unfortunately, the only people I've read about this happening to are local kids in my area being held up by other (older) kids.

I had this happen years ago. I was sitting in a restaurant and a woman came up to me and opened her map over the table (and over my phone) demanding directions. When she left she obviously took my phone with her, but I didn't initially realise.

I usually agree with the MN fears about big, bad London but opportunistic phone snatching really does happen. It happened to me when someone snatched it out of my hand while I was pushing a pram, and ran off at speed. I think being sensible about how you're using a high value bit of tech which is so easily taken is really sensible. I know several people who have had phones taken (or have successfully hung on to them) in the last couple of years, in residential areas. Bus stops are a prime one - I'd never have mine out at a bus stop.

Crossbody phone case. Under a tenner on Amazon.

Exactly this. If you need to check directions, step away from the road and into a doorway or something. Follow phone directions, if you need to, with one earbud in. Take common sense precautions.

It's very common where I am! I do not wander along the road phone in hand. I step into a shop to do so or wait until I am sat in public transport.

Yeah pretty much what happened, but I was pushing the leaflet away and then for the total distraction she went to put her finger in my food 🤮

Here is is boys on electric bikes with a very strong magnetic glove. They don't even slow down to take it. They will mount the pavement and just snatch it from your hand. There is no way to chase them.

If you’ve got a smart watch it will give you directions on it. It’s he of the reasons I bought mine (I was mugged at knife point for my phone in south east London and there is snatching going on but that has been the case for a good few years. They’ve just upgraded from being able to run fast to bikes)

I use one ear bud when using directions. Look out for anyone on a bike wearing a bally, also mopeds with 2 riders.

I don't like having my phone out, so we use these maps loads. Plan a bit before I go so that I've got a few key landmarks I know to go by. And as suggested, if you need the phone - pop into a shop and use it there. We sometimes end up going a longer route - but usually see some interesting things on the way. I have also thought about getting a smart watch that could show directions - but I don't really travel enough to make that worthwhile. Or could you have Google Maps giving directions from a phone securing in your bag to headphones?

It happened to my DH but it was late at night and he was the only one waiting at the bus stop and scrolling on his phone. It wasn't a moped but a cyclist that snatched his phone.

I think you should be fine in the day in crowded tourist areas. You can also get a cross body strap or wristlet strap for your phone if you're really worried. I would definitely back up all my photos beforehand though.

Hope you have a lovely trip!

Use a cross body bag with a zip. I also tend to put my hand over the zip if I've got a hand free, so no one can open it without my noticing.
I normally can just listen to the directions ( find I can still hear around me with headphones in but no music), but if you really need to look at your phone then stand against a wall so no one can come up behind you.

Don’t stand on the kerb.

It's never happened to me in my 27 years of living here, or to anyone I know directly. Good advice above though 👆 Do you have an Apple/smartwatch? Mine gives me directions from my phone. But also absolutely yes to an old-school A-Z!

I live in Angel.

I have seen a number of these thefts in and around where I live. Most notably on Upper St, Essex Road, St Peter's st by the Tesco on the Pentonville Road (on that occasion I was a passenger in a car stuck in stationary traffic and a moped mounted the wide section of pavement and drove at their victim snatched it and carried on). It's also happened to 2 of my friends (who also live around here). I have zero motivation to make this up.

As I said in my previous post, these thefts are exceptions and not everyone will fall victim - if it was that bad I wouldn't live here. With that said, people should be vigilant

You could get one of those little wrist straps so it can't be snatched?
I do know a few people who have had theirs taken.

Saw the aftermath of some sort of phone snatching inside the barriers at Liverpool Street Station this weekend so inside a tube station isn't a guarantee that all will be well. Also seen it on quiet streets and busy streets, central London and outer London (including around Angel as PP mentioned). But honestly just be aware and assume it could happen anywhere. I'm not actively worried about it but I no longer walk along pushing a buggy whilst checking my phone for example!

I use a little bum bag for my phone, keys, cards that never comes off and keep my phone checking to a minimum.

Not just for London, but we're about to go on holiday to places that are very well known for pickpockets/phone snatchers, so I've just bought these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BYN5BQCK?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

I saw a TikTok a few weeks ago where I woman was using one and recording herself and you see a hooded and masked guy on a pushbike appear from behind her and try to grab her phone, but was unsuccessful because of the lanyard.