Serial thief who snatched 24 phones is smashed off getaway bike by police

Video from City of London Police

A prolific phone snatcher who used an electric motorbike to steal from members of the public on the streets of London has pleaded guilty to theft, City of London Police has said. Sonny Stringer, 28, from Islington, stole 24 phones before evading police by driving at speeds of nearly 50mph, the force said. Officers were eventually able to use the city’s camera network to catch him. Stringer was about to mount a pavement in the direction of a family pushing a buggy when officers made contact with the rear wheel of his bike, police said. He also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and driving without insurance, City of London Police said. He received an interim driving ban at Isleworth Crown Court on Tuesday, and will be sentenced on August 8, the force added. Stringer and an unknown accomplice rode into the City at speed on electric motorbikes on March 26, before snatching an iPhone 15 from a woman’s hand on Blackfriars Bridge at around 11.15am, the police said.

Control officer Lynn Newins said: “I took a call from a member of the public who had witnessed a phone snatching on the south side of Blackfriars Bridge. “I remember saying that they were going like the clappers and could see members of the public having to avoid being hit by them.” “I sadly speak to lots of victims of phone snatchers and the loss of their phone is devastating to them. People have their worlds on their phones and it isn’t a minor crime to them.” When Stringer was forced off his bike and attempted to run away, officers pulled a Taser and were able to restrain him, the force said. His bag was found to contain 22 phones, with two having been dropped when police struck his bike, City of London police added. Chief Superintendent Rob Atkin said: “The successful capture and prosecution of a prolific phone snatcher shows City of London Police’s focus on detecting and bringing to justice those who steal from people on our streets. “This was a team effort from our control team following the criminals on CCTV and communicating with officers on the ground, to response officers making risk-critical decisions to protect the public and effect an arrest.”

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