Watch where you leave your mobile
Police are warning of a new mobile phone theft operation by gangs using a simple distraction technique.
The suspects are visiting pubs, cafes and shops where people are at tables with their phones on view beside them.
They then approach the person and put some greetings cards on the table pretending to be offering them for sale, but what they are doing is placing the card over the item they intend to steal, usually a phone.
When the person says "no", they simply pick up the card and the object it was concealing and walk out.
The police say that many of the stores are aware of this and are good at deterring the thieves, but they are still active.
The police have arrested one team operating in W4, who are currently on bail pending a court hearing, but it's believed they travel around the area.
The advice is to keep property in view or safe and never allow somebody who is hawking goods to get in to your personal space or place anything near you.
14th September 2015