Ten people have been arrested as part of a Met Police investigation into a string of robberies at phone shops across London and the south of England.
Detectives from the Met’s Flying Squad arrested eight men, aged between 20 and 31, and two 17-year-old boys on Thursday, 19 June at addresses in London. They were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit robbery and have since been charged and remanded in custody.
Police believe the group is linked to 13 robberies between February and early June. The suspects are thought to have stolen large quantities of new phones from high street phone stores, often threatening staff and sometimes carrying weapons. Many of the suspects had their faces covered during the incidents.
Detective Chief Inspector Laura Hillier from the Flying Squad said: “Phone robbery has boomed globally, and London is not immune. There is a concerted effort by criminal gangs to steal phones and sell them overseas as part of a multi-million-pound industry.
“The Met is catching more of these criminals and operations such as this are vital to disrupting offenders who cause fear and misery to shop workers and communities.”
Several of the robberies took place in London locations including Ilford, Hackney and Orpington.
The arrests are part of a wider effort by the Met to tackle phone theft, including more patrols in targeted areas and the use of technology to identify suspects. A recent two-week operation focused on prolific offenders resulted in 292 arrests across the capital.
The Met has also introduced a new service called Met Engage, aimed at keeping communities informed with updates from local officers on policing activity, investigations and crime prevention.
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