Thief on a motorbike snatches cellphones out of three victims’ fingers

Shocking footage of a bike-riding thief snatching mobile phones out of three victims’ hands has been revealed. 

David Platt, 33, was sentenced on Saturday after being caught on CCTV committing the thefts in Manchester city centre. 

In each offence, the thug can be seen cycling on his pushbike at speed before grabbing phones from his victims on busy high streets. 

The thief targeted people who were using their phones in public, riding his bike past the pedestrians before turning around and coming up behind them to steal their devices. 

A woman was walking down Adair Street in the city centre at 3.30pm on June 16 when the thug came up behind her on a bike and snatched her phone. She attempted to chase the offender but he sped off too quickly. 

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David Platt, 33, was sentenced on Saturday after being caught on CCTV committing the thefts in Manchester city centre. Pictured: In action snatching someone’s phone 

He is then seen riding off with the phone in hand 

Another clip of Platt stealing a phone off someone on a street

Three days later, a woman in her twenties was on a video call to her friend as she walked on Upper Brook Street in the city centre, when the man cycled past her and pinched her phone. 

The next day, on the June 20, a woman was stood on the corner of Swan Street on her phone, when the thug came from behind and snatched the phone out of hands before speeding off on his bike. 

Detectives from Manchester Central neighbourhood crime team have worked meticulously to follow up on a number of CCTV enquiries and have also spoken to many witnesses which led them directly to Platt. 

Detective Inspector Natalie McDonald, of GMP’s Manchester Central neighbourhood team, said: ‘The victims, left without their phones and on the street, were rightly shaken by the incidents as we can see just how quickly the offences happened. In the blink of an eye their phones were stolen.

‘Throughout the trial, he showed little to no remorse for his victims –who were understandably affected by these incidents. There might not be any physical injuries as a result, but mobile phones hold a lot of precious memories and pictures which are irreplaceable.

‘We want to ensure we are equipping the public with the right crime prevention advice to be able to reduce their chances of becoming a victim.

‘Many people think it won’t happen to them, but it could happen to anyone, and thieves can steal things in the blink of an eye, they usually target individuals who are distracted, so we advise that you are aware of your surroundings.

‘If you want to use your mobile phone whilst out and about, use it quickly whilst still being aware of what’s happening around you when on a street or in a public place.

On June 6, on a busy road near Tavistock Square in Marylebone, central London, another person had their phone stolen by a thief 

‘Keep your mobile phone and valuables out of sight and preferably in a hidden in a zipped bag.

‘Know how to identify your phone. Keep a record of your mobile phone’s IMEI number by dialling *#06#, by pressing these numbers and symbols, your phone IMEI number will show on screen. If your phone is stolen, it will speed up the process of getting the phone blocked when reporting the number to your service provider.

‘You can also register your mobile phone for free at immobilise.com, this will also help you if your phone is stolen helps the police to identify you as the owner if recovered.’

It comes after nearly 52,000 devices were stolen London last year as criminals on mopeds and e-bikes use violence and distraction techniques to target victims. 

The worst-hit borough was the City of Westminster, where tourists flock for theatre shows and high-end shopping, with 18,863 reported incidents in the year to December – up 47 per cent from 12,836 in the previous 12 months.

Camden was the second worst affected, with 4,806 incidents, followed by Southwark (4,376), Hackney (2,761), Newham (2,585), Lambeth (2,394) and Islington (2,117). In London as a whole more than 52,000 phones were stolen last year.

Shocking videos show muggers swerving alongside pedestrians before grabbing their phones and making off with them at speed. 

In April, horrifying footage was shared on social media of a thief on a bike grabbing a woman’s mobile phone from her hands in Albany Place, Marylebone