London police use tech to tackle masked phone snatchers

Updated on: September 8, 2026 / 11:57 AM EDT / CBS News

London — Images of masked men riding along London's streets on mopeds or electric bikes and snatching phones straight out of the hand of unsuspecting tourists and locals have gone viral in recent years. The criminals have essentially taken advantage of new, quick but quiet transport technology to get a leg up on police.

The brazen robberies became such a problem in the U.K. capital that London's Metropolitan Police (the Met) developed a special task force — the Interceptors — specifically to combat the two-wheeled bandits. Nearly three years after the unit was established, police data indicate a positive downward trend.

During 2024, at the height of the phone snatching trend, there were 80,000 such offenses across London. As of July this year, 35,000 phones had been snatched, according to official statistics from the Met.

Police officials attribute that downward trend to the Interceptors. The specialist officers are trained in tactical pursuit and they operate across central London, specifically targeting phone thieves.

Taking a cue from their targets, the Interceptors use a combination of assertive on-the-ground policing and technology, including sophisticated cameras, drones and even officers on their…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/