Travelers Beware: London now the Phone Snatching Capital
My brother and sister-in-law are headed there, so some tips for them and readers
As a victim of camera theft that happened when a mug snatched my camera in a public park and hauled away in a getaway car, I’m especially keen to stories about thefts on wheels.
For me, it was San Francisco, and after my incident I decided to switch from big cameras to the iPhone in public, as I thought my little device would be less attractive to thieves.
So far so good, but it turns out that in Europe, thieves prefer phonecams over bigger, traditional cameras.
When visiting Barcelona in 2024, I was quite surprised when a police officer approached me and asked why I was holding my iPhone in a public setting (the Rambles) which he said would make an attractive target for a thief.
It turns out that Barcelona, per the London Times, comes in fourth on the list of the cities with the most smartphone thefts, with 31,000 losses in the most recent stat.
No. 1 London tops the list with over 52,000 thefts. The same London my brother and sister-in-law are going to visit soon. So I’m writing this today for them, and all you readers just in case you’re planning a visit to Europe’s most visited city.
“Gangs are increasingly using e-bikes to target victims on the street before riding off at speed,” says the Times. A mobile phone is stolen every ten seconds of the day, adds the publication.
Per the London police: “Criminals often use bikes and mopeds to snatch mobile phones from people, particularly at busy locations such as outside stations, shopping centres or concert venues.”
It adds that most thefts happen in the evening, between 6 and 10 p.m.
Madrid and Paris are listed as no. 2 and no. 3.
Two of every five phone thefts in Europe happen in the U.K., per the Guardian.
The article in the Times, which I encourage everyone to read, had surveillance shots of masked thieves riding up to people, grabbing their phones and speeding away.
People having their phones out to text while strolling, following a mapping route, talking on the phone and reading the news as they walk are particularly vulnerable to the thieves. I suppose holding the camera steady and focusing on picture taking might give you a pass. I think the thieves are looking for people not paying attention.
Never stand with your phone near a curb, where bikes, mopeds and cars can easily snatch and grab your stuff and wheel away.
In London, the obvious place to be on your toes is in the busiest sections, like Westminster & South Bank, where you find most of the iconic landmarks. Quiet streets with little foot traffic—as I fondly remember Notting Hill, should be fine.
May I suggest a few accessories?
—Lanyard. A woman in England told her TikTok followers how it saved her phone—the grabber couldn’t get a good grip on it when he tried to snatch it. It doesn’t look that secure to me, but perhaps it might help. The lanyard connects to your pre-existing phone case, and the manufacturer says you’ll still be able to charge your phone with your USB-C or Lightning cable. Said one commenter on Reddit: ““If they see you have a strap between your phone and yourself it may act as a deterrent.…They’re not going to bother if it doesn’t look like an easy grab.”
—Selfie Stick with lockable phone mount. The Ulanzi Quad-Lock Selfie Stick/mini tripod locks the phone in place, so if you’re using the phone for photography, you might feel more secure with both hands on the stick. If might be a harder snatch than someone texting or mapping.
—New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof swears by the “Pickpocket Proof Business Travel” pants from Clothing Arts, which have several zipper pockets to keep your phone stowed away and out of the hands of pick pockets. The company has clothing for men and women.
Meanwhile, the London Police has several good suggestions:
“If you need to call or use your phone on the street, look out for anyone on a bike or a moped near you. Look up, look out
Make it quick so you don't become distracted
Don't text while you're walking – you won't notice what's going on around you
If that's not possible, stand away from the roadside, close to a building or wall, so no one can come up behind you
Going hands-free can prevent a thief from snatching your phone out of your hand.”
On the last point, how many of you use AI assistants to place calls for you, and speak to others via AirPods or other wireless buds? On an iPhone, just say “Hey Siri, call Judy” or whomever is in your contacts list.
Also, this one is obvious, but please take it seriously. Don’t place your phone on the table at a cafe while eating. Always have it hidden.
Why is phone snatching worse in Europe than the U.S.?
First, remember that the type of crowds you see overseas are so much larger than here. People are jammed together in some places (London, Paris, Rome, Venice) like sardines, and since mostly everyone has a phone in their hand, the pickings are easy and very profitable.
Secondly, per the Guardian, in London phone snatching is masterminded by organized gangs, who find this to be more profitable than drug dealing. They’ve overwhelmed local police, who have so many cases to contend with, they’d rather spend their time on bigger ticket crimes.
In the U.S., thieves prefer big cameras, knowing that any pro or aspiring photographer is walking around with $5,000 on his or her person, and if there’s a camera bag, you’ve got another $5K at least in their with backup bodies and lenses.
Meanwhile, what I learned in San Francisco is the lesson I’d use in London. Don’t be anywhere near the curb, where bike riders are zooming by. Stand as close as possible to the other side of the sidewalk, where bikes aren’t allowed. Don’t interact with random strangers asking you to sign a petition or follow them on Instagram, don’t put a phone in your back pocket (insane!) and keep the phone off the cafe tables.
I should note that I’ve traveled to seven countries for Photowalks, (Japan, Canada, Portugal, Spain, Mexico, Italy and France) and filmed extensively with an iPhone, and never had an issue. I’ve traveled to other countries as well, including Switzerland, Great Britain (including Scotland’s Edinburgh and Glasgow and London) and New Zealand and except for the time I fell asleep on the bus and someone grabbed my point and shoot camera from my lap, I have been crime free overseas.
Jez and Mindy and readers—here’s hoping you have the same luck as I have had. But if you’re going to catch winks, do it in the hotel room, behind locked doors!
Rich on Tech Show Today
Programming note: I’ll be on Rich DeMuro’s Rich On Tech radio show Saturday around 12:30 pm PT. Listen to the show live over the air on KFI AM 640 in Los Angeles or check out the podcast episode when it posts.
Happy trails and have a great Labor Day!
Jeff
I don’t understand it is still so attractive to steal IPhones. I recently had to return an iPhone and iPad to Apple, after a family member died. According to Apple they would be destroyed because nobody can use them anymore if you don’t have the password to open them!