The Met Police put out a message urging victims of phone thefts to call 999 to report the crime.
The force has placed large electronic signs at theft hotspots across London, with one in Stratford reading: ‘Just had your phone stolen? Call 999 now.’
Beneath the message, further text reads: ‘Look up. Look out. Thieves use distractions to take phones and valuables in this area. Don’t let them spoil your night out’.
But after members of the public pointed out that those who have just had their phone stolen cannot, in fact, call anyone, the Met has now been forced to change tack.
Signs photographed in Stratford, east London on Friday now read: ‘Contact police as soon as possible’.
It comes amid a phone theft crimewave, with 81,000 devices snatched from unwitting victims in London alone in 2024.
Recent figures show at least 100,000 devices were stolen last year across the UK, although the true number is feared to be far higher.
There has been a 20 per cent year-on-year rise in phone thefts in London, with a total of 230,000 stolen over the past four years.
The electronic sign outside Stratford shopping centre now tells the public to ‘contact police’, not ‘call 999’
An example of phone snatching in London where moped riders steal them from people’s hands
A woman’s phone is snatched from her hand next to the Oxford Circus junction in London
Hotspots for thieves include busy streets and popular tourist destinations, including the West End, Camden Town, London Bridge and Waterloo.
Other risky areas are Bloomsbury, Holborn, Covent Garden, Shoreditch, Borough, South Bank, Regent’s Park and Stratford.
The thefts are often carried out by a scourge criminal gangs using e-bikes and scooters to tot up high numbers of phones to sell abroad for parts.
Devices can typically be traced to countries as far away as China and Nigeria after being snatched.
It is thought phone snatching could cost consumers up to £70 million each year.
In signage rolled out in theft hotspots, the Met is warning members of the public to ensure they have a strong passcode and prevent message previews from being seen.
Signs read: ‘Turn off message previews. Stop thieves seeing security messages. Choose a strong pin, passcode, or password.’
Victims of the crime come from all walks of life, with celebrities including Lady Victoria Hervey and Kym Marsh revealing their handsets have previously been taken.
Just this week, Australian model Emma Van Der Hoek revealed she had her phone stolen for the second time in three months while walking in north London.
The Met is warning members of the public to ensure they have a strong pin or password on their devices
It comes as figures revealed some 81,000 phones were stolen in the capital last year
The man dressed in black comes up behind her and snatches the phone from her hand
Ms Van Der Hoek chases after him but is not quite quick enough to catch up with the thief
CCTV footage shows the influencer looking down at her phone along a straight path.
A man dressed in black and wearing a face mask suddenly comes up behind her and snatches the mobile out her hand before sprinting round a corner.
Ms Van Der Hoek bravely gives chase but cannot catch up with him. Another man also dressed in black appears to follow behind them both as they sprint out of view.
Taking to Instagram to share the incident, Ms Van Der Hoek wrote: ‘My phone got stolen yesterday in London!!! This is the second time in three months that this has happened – all within my so called ‘safe’ neighbourhood.’
Other videos show how masked e-bike or moped riders mount the pavement to snatch phones out of people’s hands before zooming back into the road and making their escape by weaving through traffic.
Police say the surge is fuelled by international black markets, where stolen devices are either sold on or stripped for parts – an industry now worth over £50million a year.
Officers are urging Londoners to stick to well-lit, busy areas, remain alert, and keep valuables out of sight to avoid falling prey to the increasingly brazen criminals.
The Met Police has been contacted for comment.
