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Francine Wolffis
Updated on June 29, 2024 at 01:05 and June 29, 2024 at 01:54
- Thief wearing helmet and cycling gear steals top-of-the-line iPhone 14 Max
- Owner of Apple Tech London in Forest Gate furious that police didn’t turn up
- He claims that officers have yet to visit the store due to a “lack of time.”
A bold shoplifter was caught on camera leaning over the counter to steal a pricey mobile phone, before struggling with a terrified female shop assistant.
Now the furious owner of Apple Tech London in Forest Gate claims that despite calling 999 immediately after the incident, officers are yet to arrive because there’s “no time”.
The thief, wearing a black helmet and cycling clothing, carried out the brazen act at around 2.30pm on Thursday afternoon.
Apple Tech London said the man had forcibly taken an iPhone 14 Pro Max, which has a starting price of around £700.
Security cameras inside the store captured the man entering the store and talking to a store employee for about a minute.
He appears relaxed, arms folded on the counter, as the sales assistant points out various items.
At one point, he attempts to open the door to the store, presumably to aid in his subsequent escape.
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He then steps outside for a short while before coming back and resuming his position on the counter.
As he continued to talk to the clerk, he suddenly leaned back behind the counter and grabbed his cell phone with his left hand.
The store clerk noticed what the thief was doing and tried to stop him, but this resulted in the thief sprawling out over the counter.
The next dramatic moment shows them wrestling each other, the other shaking with the force of their attacks.
In the end, the thief wins and runs off with the phone.
The assistant, visibly upset, pointed at the man and shouted, before pulling out her phone and calling police.
A second camera outside captured the thief lifting the mountain bike and leaving with his loot.
Shop owner Mahmed Fahad posted the footage on X, saying this was the second time something like this had happened but police had never turned up.
“They said the police would be there in an hour, but there’s no point in them coming after someone has died.”[s]?
He added that police had told them they would appear before them on Tuesday, five days after the incident.
The theft comes amid a surge in shoplifting and mobile phone thefts across London in recent months.
A new map published earlier this month revealed that around 52,000 mobile phones were stolen in the capital last year, as criminals on mopeds and e-bikes target victims using violence and distraction tactics.
The city of Westminster, a tourist hotspot for theatres and high-end shopping, was hardest hit, with 18,863 incidents reported in the 12,836 cases a year earlier, a 47% rise.
Camden was the second worst hit with 4,806 incidents, followed by Southwark (4,376), Hackney (2,761), Newham (2,585), Lambeth (2,394) and Islington (2,117). Across London, more than 52,000 mobile phones were stolen last year.
MailOnline has contacted the Metropolitan police for comment.
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