Moment moped-riding phone thief snatches device from unsuspecting woman

Terrifying footage shows the moment a thief riding a stolen moped stole a mobile phone out of the hands of a woman before he was caught red-handed hours later.

The video, shared by the Met Police, shows the bike rider stalking his victim along the pavement in Croydon, south London, in March. As she walks unawares he suddenly strikes, taking the phone out of her hands before accelerating away as the woman briefly chases after him.

An hour later Amari Scott, 20, was caught by officers and video showed the moment police caught up with him. In the footage, officers are heard telling him: “We’ve just had a moped rob a mobile phone off a pedestrian on the payment and the phone is pinging in this location. You match a description of the suspect and you’re also wearing a face covering.”

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He is then led away in handcuffs. He was found in possession of two stolen phones and a stolen motorbike and has now been jailed for four years.

A spokesman for Met Police said: “On Wednesday, 6 March 2024 a woman in Croydon had her iPhone snatched out of her hands by an offender on a moped. The woman reported the incident to Croydon Police Station.

“Less than an hour later, a report came to police another victim had had their phone stolen while they waited for a bus. The man was arrested following a swift police response, with officers using real-time phone tracking data to locate him.

“Officers identified him the same day, where he was still in possession of the stolen phones. While arresting him, officers also recovered a stolen motorbike.

“Amari Scott, 20 (06.08.2004) of Wrythe Lane, Sutton was sentenced to four years in a Young Offender's Institution.”

Chief Inspector James Weston added: “We understand the impact that robbery has on victims - it is invasive and frightening. That's why our teams are working so hard to deter and catch offenders to reassure our local community.

“Thanks to the hard work of officers, our partners and community grassroots organisations, we are stepping up our efforts and tackling the issues that matter most to the people of Croydon.”