Trio jailed after £20,00 phone snatching spree on electric bikes in east London
Watch: CCTV footage shows men on electric bikes stealing phones in east London.
Three people have been sentenced after stealing 35 mobile phones in east London.
CCTV footage shows Kie Joyce, 21, and two 16-year-old boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, on electric bikes stealing phones from people on separate incidents in Bermondsey and Greenwich.
The trio targeted individuals by aggressively riding their bikes on pavements and approaching people at high speeds, creating an intimidating environment that made it difficult for victims to react or escape.
It's part of a crackdown on phone thefts where more officers patrol busy areas and town centres to help deter criminals, as well as installing more CCTV cameras in busy areas to monitor and identify people involved in mobile phone thefts.
Kie Joyce, 21, of Neckinger Estate, SE16 was sentenced to three and a half years imprisonment on Thursday, 19 September at Inner London Crown Court for conspiracy to steal and eight counts of dangerous driving offences.
One of the 16-year-old boys was given a six month sentence for conspiracy to steal and eight counts of dangerous driving.
The other teenager was handed a nine-month supervision requirement for conspiracy to commit theft and handling stolen goods. He was also subjected to a Youth Rehabilitation Order, curfew requirement and is required to pay compensation.
Metropolitan Police recovered 32 phones, 30 of which have been returned to their rightful owners.
Between them, it's estimated the value of stolen phones amounted to over £20,000.
Police Constable Alex Earley, who led the investigation, said: “I am pleased our investigation has brought three offenders to justice for their part to play in a spate of phone thefts in our local area. This demonstrates our commitment to addressing concerns from those living and working here.
"Our top priority is to drive down crime that impacts our communities the most, creating neighbourhoods where everyone feels safe.”
Commander Owain Richards, the lead for mobile phone thefts in London, said: “We understand the impact of mobile phone theft can have on victims, it’s an invasive and sometimes violent crime- and we’re committed to protecting Londoners and tackling this issue as we make the capital safer.
“We continue to use data and technology to build intelligence and track stolen items to target offenders. We are also working phone firms to ‘design out’ the ability for phones to be reused and sold on as we seek to dismantle the criminal market that fuels robbery and theft.
“We encourage people to report as soon as they can whenever they have been a victim of mobile phone theft, so officers can investigate swiftly”.
Police are urging people who witness or are a victim of a crime to report it quickly by calling 999, 101 or report it online.
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