A mobile phone thief was arrested by undercover police less than a minute after snatching a device from a victim near London Bridge.
London's Met Police released video of the moment the hooded thief was pounced on by officers, who were then able to return the phone to its owner.
Mobile phone theft in London has reached what has been described as “epidemic” levels, prompting the Met Police to step up undercover operations in worst-affected areas of the city.
The incident happened near London Bridge and the Shard skyscraper, where the phone was ripped from the victim’s hand.
Footage shows an unmarked police car driving along Tooley Street as the suspect flees round a corner.
The black car pursues the unsuspecting thief, who then meets up with an accomplice and they slow down to walking pace, believing they have got away with the theft.
The police car catches up with the pair and officers leap out.
An officer catches the thief and throws him to the ground before putting him in handcuffs.
“You’re under arrest on suspicion of committing theft,” the officer tells him.
The police force’s data shows that in the year to April 75,105 mobile phones were stolen across London, an increase of 13 per cent on the previous year.
The Met Police said the incident happened on Sunday, January 12 at about 12.30am and a 15 year old was arrested. He was found guilty of theft at Highbury Corner Magistrate' Court on April 7 and given a youth referral order, requiring him to undergo rehabilitation, as well as a fine.
An analysis of data by The National revealed phone thefts have surged in upmarket parts of central London and areas popular with tourists.
“These days, it seems everyone knows someone who's suffered phone theft, or suffered it themselves. It's an epidemic,” Neil Garratt, leader of the Conservatives in the London Assembly, previously told The National.
“Yet when I pressed the mayor [Sadiq Khan] on what he is doing to get a grip, all he could do is blame phone manufacturers for not making the phones worthless if snatched. When the person responsible for fighting crime in our capital is more interested in blaming others than taking action, you know he's not even trying.”
In February, 1,000 stolen mobile phones were seized from robbers in London in one week as part of a crackdown on “industrial-scale” thefts that have blighted the capital.
The Met Police said the seizures followed operations against criminals by plainclothes officers in hotspot areas such as the West End and Westminster, which are popular with tourists but where nearly 40 per cent of London phone thefts occur.
Many are carried out by criminals on bikes snatching phones as unsuspecting victims leave buildings or walk down the street.
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Key changes
Commission caps
For life insurance products with a savings component, Peter Hodgins of Clyde & Co said different caps apply to the saving and protection elements:
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Disclosure
Customers must now be provided with a full illustration of the product they are buying to ensure they understand the potential returns on savings products as well as the effects of any charges. There is also a “free-look” period of 30 days, where insurers must provide a full refund if the buyer wishes to cancel the policy.
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Another illustration must outline surrender charges to ensure they understand the costs of exiting a fixed-term product early.
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
Results
Stage 7:
1. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal - 3:18:29
2. Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep - same time
3. Phil Bauhaus (GER) Bahrain Victorious
4. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep
5. Cees Bol (NED) Team DSM
General Classification:
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates - 24:00:28
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers - 0:00:35
3. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 0:01:02
4. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:01:42
5. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo - 0:01:45
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The%20specs%20
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RESULT
Los Angeles Galaxy 2 Manchester United 5
Galaxy: Dos Santos (79', 88')
United: Rashford (2', 20'), Fellaini (26'), Mkhitaryan (67'), Martial (72')
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
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