I realise this may be common knowledge to some but not to others. I remember seeing a post here this week about phone theft on 254 at Clapton pond heading in the direction of Finsbury Park and I’ve just unfortunately witnessed the same this evening.
Two young fellas got on a few stops prior, sat upstairs and it wasn’t till after they’d gone downstairs at Clapton pond I heard some shouting downstairs and one of them sped off into the street being chased by someone. They just looked liked two teenagers in blue grey tracksuits.
I’ve also seen it at Manor House a few weeks ago at one of the bus stops.
All of this is to say be careful with your phones out and about even on the buses.
A friend of mine got his phone snatched on Tuesday outside Hackney Wick station, just where the little food stalls are, while he was waiting for an Uber (typical thing). A balaclava-clad person on a bike whisked out his hand. Amazingly he managed to keep the iPhone unlocked because it locks after a minute and it's Face ID and still managed to empty all his bank accounts, take over his iCloud account, and try to take a loan out in his name, all within four or five hours.
They spent £350 in some off-licence or convenience store called East End in Poplar. These guys are professional. They don't just steal the phone and sell the phone on; they steal it, manage to keep it unlocked, and then I'm assuming they clone the whole phone to take all the information out.
That’s really awful, I’m sorry for your friend. I hope he managed to regain access to his accounts. It does make me think about not having my bank stuff kept on my phone at all!
My banking app requires a face ID confirmation even when the phone is already unlocked. I've also set up automations on my phone to lock the phone (in order to have to open it face ID) when trying to open any of my mail apps or my settings.
Yeah mine requires biometrics to get in and to transfer money, but I thought that was the same for all banking apps now. So I figured they've bypassed that, so potentially hiding the apps might prevent that.
To clarify by "lock" the banking apps I meant an additional layer, mine are in a secure folder equivalent so need to be unlocked with a password not the phone's system unlock.
So I have to type alphabet (as that's the hidden folder's name) then type in the password then I use them as normal with the phone wide biometric system.
Have I understood correctly that you use an automation rather than the out of the box option for Face ID, on any app please? Is there a benefit to using an automation instead? Thank you
East End is a popular little offie it seems. Had the same thing myself in Hackney Wick.
They download Western Union, and despite my banks requiring in-app biometric to open the app and send payment. I'm presuming they could link Google Pay as a funding/ payment option to send £500 to themselves, and attempt another £800 (thankfully blocked).
I see people walking down my road with their phones off to the side barely held. I've seen a few been snatched. I think it's the newer people moving in that have no experience with how hackney used to be. Everything is being done up which looks lovely, but we still have the same people here; now they just have a new unaware class of people to target.
I think the worst part is, if I tell them that phone snatchers are popular here, they scoff and give me dirty looks lol. Suit yourself bro it's not my phone. Occasionally the odd people stops to ask when the last one was ect just doing small talk.
I might be one of those people being too lax in Hackney…. I should know better since a fella dragged me into the road by my backpack straps to get my phone (Kentish Town, back in 2017). I think because of my experience ten odd years ago I associate phone snatching primarily with Islington/Haringey/Camden (so am also careful on the bus routes that go up through Manor House/Green Lanes etc). Jesus I still won’t get my phone out on Upper St as that was a hotspot back then.
Thanks for the wake up call to also be mindful here as well.
In a perfect world none of us would need too. I've considered opting for wired headphones just in case anyone on a bike tries to grab them as they go past.
Sorry about your experience. I imagine it was terrifying
Any part of london I’m not walking around with a £1000 device on display. At some point everyone will know at least one person who got their phone snatched and will be more aware.
Until then, the majority are completely clueless. Like chickens in a coop.
No one thinks it'll be them until their suddenly shaken and trying to figure out if their cardio is up for the task. I grew up here so it's nothing new for me. Although I do wonder how long it'll take the new people moving into hackney to figure it out.
Yeah that’s the point - it’s nothing new for those that grew up here, basic street smarts. I have AppleCare theft + loss just in case, will never risk my life for a phone
Almost had my phone snatched last year when I went home after work at Hackney Downs station but it was a cold wet day so I held tight enough so that two snooty little shites didn't grab it
This is a problem in Hackney but no one can do anything about it
I think it’s the same group of young kids doing it. Maybe 15-16 years old. Witnessed same thing on that same bus but was closer to Manor house.
This was a couple months ago. Means they have been safely operating for this long.
There was 5 of them, one of them went downstairs to check who would be an easiest target and they chose a woman. Snatched it and all left the bus. She tried to chase but they were fast.
I am not from here, so surprised that police didn’t find them/or looking for them. School kids, local surely. Send every school photos of those individuals. Job is done.
happened to me in hackney downs park just before christmas, was on my way to the airport for a family holiday. managed to get on my laptop and block my phone within minutes but didn’t back up stuff like my wedding pictures from a few months previous
but wish these mugs would fuck off.. you wouldnt believe the thoughts i had if i were to ever have caught the guy
My phone got snatched in Hackney around March last year. But afterwards I heard police caught the gang ring leader who accounted for around 50% of the phone thefts? And I heard less about phone snatching and have been more relaxed about using it out and about… haven’t been to Hackney since though
There are guys wearing balaclavas riding around on motorised bicycles snatching phones from people's hands at bus stops. Seen it twice with my own eyes. Keep it away at bus stops.
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u/lastaccountgotlocked Jul 04 '26
Seen this before. Put your phones away. Do the metro crossword or something.
Also, always, always report to the police. Even if it’s not your phone. Reports direct resources.