E-bike Thief Strikes in London
- E-bike thief stole a phone from a man's hand in London on July 30.
- The incident occurred on Brompton Street in Knightsbridge.
- The victim was walking towards his home in South Kensington at the time of the theft.
Sukru Haskan, a finance professional originally from Turkey, recounted a distressing incident on July 30, when an e-cyclist snatched his iPhone 14 while he was walking on Brompton Street in Knightsbridge. Haskan described the thief as wearing thick gloves and riding an e-bike, making it impossible for him to pursue the suspect. He expressed feelings of helplessness during the encounter, noting that the police were quick to respond but he was left feeling insecure about the safety of his belongings. After the theft, Haskan utilized the Apple feature Find My iPhone, which led him to discover that his stolen device had been transported to Shenzhen, China. He voiced his frustration over the ease with which stolen phones are moved internationally, questioning the lack of investigation into this troubling trend. Haskan emphasized that while theft is a common issue, the scale at which stolen phones are ending up in foreign countries is alarming. Cyber-security expert Maria-Diandre Opre highlighted the significant demand for phone parts in China, which contributes to the high rate of phone thefts in London. In 2022, nearly 91,000 phones were reported stolen in the city, averaging 248 thefts per day, with a mere two percent of stolen devices being recovered. The areas most affected included Camden and Southwark, raising concerns about the effectiveness of local law enforcement in addressing this growing problem. The Metropolitan Police have been approached for comment regarding the rising trend of phone thefts and the challenges in recovering stolen devices.