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Rise in street robberies as gangs target MP3 players
Last updated at 13:07pm on 17.01.07
Hi-tech gadgets such as the latest iPods are being blamed for an increase in street robberies
The number of street robberies in London has risen again as muggers target hi-tech mobile phones and iPods, the Met warned today.
Although the increase in the robbery rate has slowed in recent months after a big leap early in 2005,
He said that even though most phones can now be quickly barred from making calls, robbers were stealing them simply to exploit other hi-tech features such as cameras and games.
The news comes despite a sharp fall in overall crime in the capital. According to the latest annual crime figures, just over 930,000 crimes were committed in London in 2006 - almost 60,000 fewer than in 2005, a fall of six per cent.
The decline was prompted by sharp falls in violent crime, but the improvements were marred by continuing problems with robbery, which rose by 5.9 per cent last year, giving a total of 46,147 offences.
Commander Foy said: "One of the big drivers behind the robbery rise is that there are constantly new commodities for people to steal."
He said the bulk of robberies were still committed by teenagers on other youngsters and that around a quarter were 'snatch' crimes, where an item was grabbed but there was no physical confrontation.
