Victim of moped mugger Cavell Hutson: Speed of Exmouth Market phone snatch was incredible

The moped can be seen racing through Ridley Road market minutes before Hutson was caught (Image: Archant)

Adam Scholes, 31, had just gotten his haircut and was on Google Maps when Hutson mounted the pavement on his moped and stole the mobile out of his hands on September 3.

The 21-year-old thief, of Highbury New Park, was jailed this week for the one-hour rampage through five boroughs that ended in a dramatic police chase in Ridley Road Market, Dalston.

Speaking to the Gazette, Adam said Hutson’s 40-month jail sentence was justified and revealed his amazement at the speed at which his phone was nicked.

“I was under a cafe canape checking the way back to the Tube,” he said. “I had my back to them and it was the slickest most professional thing. It was just ‘bang’ and they were gone. They mounted the kerb but hardly even slowed down.

The moped narrowly misses a shopper (Image: Archant)

“A guy saw it from across the road and came over, I was just stood in the street swearing angrily.

“He said there were two mopeds and four guys. Apparently the first moped came up behind me and they pointed, then the second came round the corner and before you know it they were blasting up Exmouth Market.

“It was totally surreal. The speed at which they took the phone was incredible. Even if I reacted they were far too quick.”

Adam called police on his work phone and within 15 minutes they had taken his statement and he was sat in their car listening to the radio reports of the chase, which was captured in incredible police helicopter footage.

One of the phone snatches (Image: Archant)

“It was so cool,” he said. “The Met’s professionalism was incredible. The two police officers gave me a blow by blow of what the helicopter was saying and then they caught him. The police woman said ‘you are so lucky, we never catch them’!”

After reading the Gazette’s coverage of Hutson’s conviction, Adam said he was pleased to see he had been given a lengthy sentence.

“I think it’s fair,” he added. “He was caught with 21 mobile phones. The only way it’s going to stop is through proper sentencing and through making it too risky for them to do it.”

Adam, of Barnet, also says he had already learned to be more careful in London after having his bike nicked soon after moving down two years ago.

“I was in a nice bit of Islington and it still went,” he continued. “I always thought phone insurance was a scam but I’ve got it now!”