TalkTV presenter Alex Phillips broke down in tears after telephone mugging
Talk TV presenter Alex Phillips immediately informed how she was violently attacked in an tried cell phone mugging by a young person in broad daylight on Britain’s premier buying avenue.
Ms Phillips revealed she turned the most recent London crime statistic after ‘little s***’ on a motorcycle – estimated to be as younger as 14 – struck her and tried to grab her handset.
The host, 40, who co-presents the Cross Talk section on the channel, had simply left a Samsung cell phone retailer near Tottenham Court Road underground station when she was attacked in broad daylight.
She was strolling alongside Oxford Street her telephone when a hooded youth sped up behind her on a motorcycle.
Talk TV presenter Alex Phillips immediately informed how she was violently attacked in an tried cell phone mugging by a young person in broad daylight on Britain’s premier buying avenue
Met Police officers pictured on London’s Oxford Street the place Alex Phillips was mugged
Alex’s tweet branding the mugger on Oxford Street a ‘little s*** on a motorcycle’
She informed MailOnline: ‘He yanked me from behind and I span spherical. He then karate chopped my hand as I feel he was making a seize for the telephone.
‘It fell to the ground. I do not assume he was going to get off the bike to select up the telephone and simply rode off. It was throughout in just a few seconds.’
The presenter mentioned she was so shocked by the tried mugging she began to cry – after which when the shock wore off turned more and more indignant at what had occurred.
She went on: ‘I’d say he was about 14 or 15 from his construct. I couldn’t see his face as he had his hood pulled up.’
And the previous Member of the European Parliament informed MailOnline she feared London was in peril of turning into as lawless as Nairobi in Kenya – the place she as soon as lived.
She went on: ‘Since I talked concerning the mugging so many individuals have contacted me to say the identical factor occurred to them. Just on anecdotal proof telephone theft is rampant on Oxford Street. I’ve heard from so many individuals who’ve skilled the identical factor in London.
‘It will not be acceptable. I lived in Nairobi in Kenya for a time and that place was often known as ‘Ni Robbery’ as a result of there was a lot crime there.
‘In Nairobi you didn’t stroll down the road at night time, and also you didn’t discuss in your telephone.
‘London will not be as unhealthy as Nairobi but, however it’s getting a lot worse. It is grim.’
A spokesperson for the Met Police mentioned: ‘We are involved to listen to about this. We have requested the broadcaster to share additional info with us so an investigation may be carried out.’
Traders and consumers within the space supported Ms Phillips’ assertion that avenue crime is turn into extra prevalent – with brazen robbers finishing up quite a few ‘snatch and seize’ raids on daily basis.
Store assistants on Oxford Street have informed how they’ve witnessed the aftermath of the thefts ‘numerous’ occasions with victims left shocked and weeping. And they mentioned that on the road as soon as thought-about the jewel within the crown of London for retail telephone thefts are a day by day prevalence.
They mentioned girls have been nearly all the time the goal with the thieves racing up on the pavement behind their victims on bikes or e-scooters.
Lily Hardy, who works within the Smiggles retailer, mentioned a lady had her telephone snatched this morning as she stood outdoors the store.
Lily mentioned: ‘She was standing outdoors the store and somebody on a motorcycle got here and grabbed it from her.
‘I simply heard her screaming and I feel one other lady gave chase, however the thief was on a motorcycle and was too quick.
‘You hear about telephones being stolen on a regular basis. It is an on a regular basis prevalence. They choose on girls as they’re much less prone to put up a struggle or chase.’
Two feminine workers who work on the Intimissimi Lingerie store, reverse the place Ms Philips incident occurred, mentioned they might by no means stroll alongside Oxford Street whereas utilizing their cell phone.
‘I by no means use my telephone out one the road,’ mentioned one of many retailer assistants, who requested to not be named.
‘There are so many individuals who are available in right here and have mentioned their telephone has been stolen. We have people who find themselves trying within the retailer and pickpockets are available in and take the telephone.’
At the Cool Britannia store a retailer assistant mentioned girls have been all the time the goal for the thefts.
He mentioned a member of his workers stepped outdoors the shop to make a name and had his telephone snatched.
‘It is all the time girls which might be being picked on,’ mentioned the workers assitant who gave his identify as Anand.
‘This goes on on a regular basis, and but you hardly see any police about. When they do come it’s to take an announcement and drive off.
‘This is the principle buying avenue in London and they need to be primarily based right here at every finish of the road.
‘It actually is uncontrolled with so many individuals being robbed.’
A employee at a cell phone retailer mentioned: ‘ We have folks coming in on a regular basis who’ve had their telephones stolen and asking to dam their telephones.
‘Its loopy how many individuals are being robbed, however the police don’t appear to have the ability to do something.’
Another store keeper, who requested to not be named, mentioned, telephone thefts have been largely carried out within the morning rush hour.
He mentioned:’ You see it on a regular basis, and it’s all the time girls.
They are speaking on the telephone as they stroll alongside the road. Often it’s vacationers who’ve come right here from a rustic the place it’s protected to make use of a cell phone.
‘All you hear are girls crying after the theft. The thieves know precisely what they’re doing. They go off down aspect roads so folks can chase after them.’
Taking to social media Alex mentioned: ‘A little bit sh**t on a motorcycle simply tried to mug me on Oxford St in broad daylight’
The 40-year-old journalist and former politician was strolling down Oxford Street in central London when the boy grabbed her bag and ‘karate chopped’ her arm
Oxford Street is roofed by CCTV cameras operated by Westminster Council.
A police car getting used for facial recognition was parked by Oxford Circus tube station.
The 4 cameras scanned alongside Oxford Street searching for faces already on the police database.
But there have been no officers on foot patrol when Mail Online visited the road and on the Tottenham Court Road finish there have been no indicators warning guests concerning the presence of telephone thieves.
Ms Phillips, who’s a member of the Reform Party, mentioned there must be a extra seen police presence on Oxford Street.
‘I’m certain if there have been extra police out on the street it might act as a deterrent’ she mentioned.
The Met Police don’t preserve separate crime figures for Oxford Street.
But figures for the borough of Westminster the place it’s located present that within the month of November there have been nearly 2,000 reported crimes of theft.
Recent figures launched by the Met Police present there have been 57,000 telephone thefts in London – a mean of 169 a day.
Despite the specter of being mugged many individuals continued to make use of their cell phone whereas strolling alongside and round Oxford Street.
Diana Arquinigo mentioned she knew individuals who had their telephone snatched in latest months.
‘I feel everybody is aware of somebody who has had their telephone stolen,’ mentioned the 31 12 months previous barista.
‘I attempt to watch out however its laborious to not use the telephone when strolling alongside. It is horrifying that it’s simply girls who’re being picked on.’
Office employee Simone Pietropaolo.33, mentioned he made certain he gripped his cell with each fingers.
He mentioned he is aware of of at the very least two work colleagues who had their telephones stolen by muggers on push bikes.
‘I do be sure I grip the telephone tightly if I’m utilizing it whereas out,’ he mentioned.
A Marks & Spencer government has warned that crime charges on Oxford Street have been surging as London’s well-known buying district falls into disrepair.
Police and huge teams of younger folks have been seen in Oxford Circus on August 9 after requires looting unfold on TikTok.
Shocking video from the time confirmed police wielding batons clashing with dozens of youths in Oxford Street after chaos erupted when a social media-fuelled marketing campaign to ‘rob JD Sports’ and shoplift went viral.
Nine folks have been arrested by the Metropolitan Police on suspicion of offences together with assaulting a police officer, going outfitted to steal and breaching a dispersal order on the buying hotspot.
Footage from the scene exhibits officers chasing after youths outdoors the Microsoft retailer in Europe’s busiest buying avenue with their batons raised, with some being wrestled away by police and put in handcuffs.
Sacha Berendji, operations director of M&S mentioned the world had as soon as been ‘the jewel in London’s buying crown’ however was now little greater than ’empty outlets, littered streets and fewer guests’.
He mentioned stunning scenes of social media-fuelled carnage as thugs tried to loot shops in August have been ‘one other reminder of how unhealthy issues are’.
