A daring thief, fully decked out in cycling gear and a black helmet, made off with a high-end iPhone 14 Pro Max from Apple Tech London in Forest Gate.
The shop owner, Mahamed Fahad, is frustrated and upset as police have yet to visit the store, citing a lack of time.
The incident unfolded around 2:30 PM on Thursday.
CCTV footage shows the thief entering the store and engaging in casual conversation with a female shop assistant.
He appears relaxed, leaning over the counter and chatting about various items.
At one point, he even opens the shop door, perhaps planning his escape route.
After stepping outside briefly, the thief returns and resumes his position at the counter.
In a swift and unexpected move, he reaches behind the counter with his left hand and grabs the expensive phone.
The assistant quickly realizes what’s happening and tries to stop him, leading to a struggle with the thief spreading his body across the counter.
The Getaway
Despite the assistant’s efforts, the thief manages to snatch the phone and make his escape.
The shaken assistant immediately calls the police.
Another camera outside the store captures the thief hopping on his mountain bike and speeding away with the stolen phone.
Owner’s Frustration
Fahad shared the video on social media, expressing his frustration over the police’s delayed response.
He mentioned this was the second incident of its kind and criticized the police for planning to visit five days after the theft.
Fahad questioned the point of such delayed action, especially if lives were at risk.
Rising Theft Rates in London
This incident is part of a growing trend of shoplifting and mobile phone thefts across London.
A recent map revealed that nearly 52,000 mobile phones were stolen in the capital last year.
The City of Westminster was the hardest hit, with almost 19,000 incidents reported, followed by other boroughs like Camden and Southwark.
Police Statement
In response, the Met Police confirmed receiving a robbery report on June 27th.
They noted that the theft occurred around 2:45 PM and that the victim was assaulted.
The police spoke to the victim and scheduled a follow-up appointment, but no arrests have been made so far.
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