Islington phone thefts rise in the heat

Temperatures are not the only records being smashed. Thieves have now snatched the most mobile phones on record for Islington as the hot weather brought a borough-wide surge in the crime.

There were 59 phone snatches – more than eight a day – in Islington between July 8 and 14 – the most ever recorded in the borough in a single week.

St Paul’s Road, Ball’s Pond Road, Essex Road and Old Street were particularly badly hit according to the grim figures.

Thefts take place in busy main roads or outside Tube stations after seeing users texting or calling, with thugs often making a getaway on push bikes.

Cllr Paul Convery, Islington Council’s executive member for community safety said: “The heat wave has coincided with a spike in the number of mobile phone thefts, and we urge people to take extra care.

“With the hot weather many more people are out and about relaxing and enjoying themselves and we don’t want them to become victims.”

The Council and Scotland Yard are urging people to be extra vigilant when leaving public transport, avoid texting or using the internet while walking and registering the phones’ IMEI number for free on immobilise.com – making it easier to report thefts.