Suspected phone thief gang targeting London tourists with social media scam arrested in Met Police crackdown

A suspected phone thief gang targeting London tourists with a social media scam has been arrested by the Met Police for robbery.Six people were arrested by the force for allegedly using a distraction tactic, where they ask members of the public to open their phones and follow them on social media.Once unlocked, the phone thieves would snatch the device and scarper.The arrests are a part of the Met’s phone theft crackdown in crime hotspots where the phone thieves are operating, namely in Southbank, Borough Market and Waterloo.In an operation on the eve of April 24, plain clothes officers, specialist pursuit drivers and motorbikes were deployed to catch offenders who often use illegally modified e-bikes as part of their escape.