Moped mugging on East Dulwich Road by Goose Green

[mcj_1985]

Evening...I know this post is similar to a few others in recent months, but just another warning to be careful about using your phone while out and about in se15/22

This evening at about 8:15pm two delightful young moped riders mounted the pavement on Goose Green and snatched my iPhone from my hand. I'm totally unharmed, wounded pride aside, and have gone to the police. Didn't see a numberplate or enough facial features to merit a decent description, so I'm not going to be the person who helps the police to catch them.

Also, apologies to anyone who saw or heard me screaming "F**k you" at the top of my voice as they sped away!

[Robert Poste's Child]

You poor thing, what a horrible experience though good to hear you weren't physically hurt. These kids are a total menace and it's happening all the time. I wish the police would crack down on it.

[Sue]

Sorry to hear this.

Was that actually on Goose Green itself, ie on the path, or on the road/pavement adjoining it?

[mcj_1985]

Hey Sue, on the path, just as it curves around past the roundabout onto East Dulwich Road

[Sue]

So the pavement outside the railings at the green's boundary?

I walk on Goose Green a lot, so obviously this is worrying, but slightly less worrying than if they were taking mopeds onto the green itself.

[DulwichLondoner]

Sorry to hear that! We should all keep an eye for scooters and motorcycles with no plates. A few days ago I called the non-emergency police number to report a scooter with no plate parked at the corner of Bellenden road and Avondale rise - possibly stolen. I am a motorcyclist myself, and if my bike were stolen, I'd certainly want it reported.

A while back a scooter, with the licence plate cut in two, was left chained at the bicycle rails opposite the East Dulwich station; I reported that, too.

This vlogger avoided a possible 'bike-jacking' by two guys on a scooter with no plate: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/quickthinking-motorcyclist-dodges-possible-bikejacking-at-junction-in-london-a3341361.html

Another thing to watch out for is someone on a scooter pushing another scooter or motorcycle with their foot: it's a system used by some thieves to steal a bike or scooter they can't start.

I get the impression that scooters are more stolen and more involved in thefts etc than motorcycles - maybe because they're easier to ride and because the automatic transmission lets the distignuished gentlemen riding them use the left hand to snatch mobiles from passers-by without the need to slip the clutch...

[Sue]

Since seeing this and similar posts on here I've become really aware of mopeds and scooters driving around the back roads especially :(

Is their M.O. generally to snatch your mobile out of your hand then immediately drive off?

Because if so that might be slightly easier to avoid than a confrontational mugging?

I've never been worried walking round here, but I've definitely recently got warier :(

[dimples]

I was out last night at a party and dropped my friend off on landells road , there was a motorbike which I've seen before with two figures darting in and out off lordship lane , this was about midnight but I've seen them doing this at mid day too ! No police at all to be seen and I thought how easy it would be to catch them !

[uncleglen]

a broom handle to stick in the wheels would be effective.....the police cannot be everywhere

[DulwichLondoner]

uncleglen Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> a broom handle to stick in the wheels would be

> effective.....the police cannot be everywhere

And, even if they were everywhere, they cannot chase a motorcyclist who throws his helmet away, otherwise he might get hurt...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-10984311

It's a true policy all over England, it's not a joke.

[singalto]

The police keeps telling us not to use our phones in the street. I'm sure it is possible to survive for a bit without staring at a phone, particularly if it avoids getting it stolen....

[DulwichLondoner]

Well, I always use a bluetooth headset for my calls, for convenience, but it does help reduce the risk of the phone being snatched from my hands if it's in a pocket

[dirac]

Last Saturday at about midnight some friends of mine witnessed 6 people on three mopeds essentially block off two ends of the side road they were on with two of the mopeds while the third moped proceeded to try and steal a motorbike which was parked on it (not sure which road but probably underhill rd between friern and barry rd). They were stared out and made to feel extremely unsafe/threatened so just ran home once past them.

What is insane is the number of similar moped incidents that we hear about on this forum let alone the ones that do not get reported/not posted here!

[TheArtfulDogger]

singalto Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> The police keeps telling us not to use our phones

> in the street. I'm sure it is possible to survive

> for a bit without staring at a phone, particularly

> if it avoids getting it stolen....

Sadly, whilst it is good advice, it's a sad state of affairs where we are advised not to use a mobile phone in public or on the move (convienince of having a mobile device) to save it being stolen or snatched out of your hand.

Wouldn't it be nicer if the phone makers made them less desirable to steal with anti theft technology that disables the phone and that the criminals can't get around, thus allowing people to use their phones for their intended purpose, communication on the move.

[rendelharris]

TheArtfulDogger Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Wouldn't it be nicer if the phone makers made them

> less desirable to steal with anti theft technology

> that disables the phone and that the criminals

> can't get around, thus allowing people to use

> their phones for their intended purpose,

> communication on the move.

This - as far as I understand the technology's there, it should be illegal to sell a 'phone that can't be permanently blocked as soon as it's pinched.

[singalto]

I now get worried whenever I hear a moped anywhere near me. I stopped three guys from stealing my neighbour's motorbike a few months ago..

[PeckhamRose]

There is a lot of anti theft technology out there. My phone keeps pinging me with photos of my own face when I have failed to remember the password when my fingerprint wasn't working and it thinks it is being stolen so takes a photo of me!

I absolutely do not blame victims but as a motorcyclist I see so many people just wondering around not really aware of their surroundings slowly tapping into their phones, and they are ripe for having their phone taken. A few times I have been aware of mopeds near me and wondering if they are going to nick them. Would I stay with the victim or safely chase the moped rider. Hmmm.

[McDuck]

Sorry to hear about that mcj_1985. Not a nice thing to happen to anyone. Glad that you're ok.

Surely it's the same moped gang who are out often in these parts? I'm sure it's not straightforward and I have no direct experience of this sort of thing, but given the regularity they're around, and the same methods often used, on the very same streets, I'm surprised it's seemingly so tricky for the authorities (police) to work out who they are and to get on top of them. I guess I echo what "Robert Poste's Child" said above. This small group of people is menacing the neighbourhood and there doesn't appear to be any willingness to clamp down on it.

[85volga]

In addition

Please be aware there is a serial moped pair that on Saturday late afternoon also dangerously mounted the pavement in a small gap at the House of Tippler and grabbed a poor mans wallet and phone of the table facing the street, before weaving into traffic and taking off down toward Goose Green roundabout.

About 2 min afterward four Police cars heading the opposite way screamed past sirens blazing .... obviously a crime run down the lane. Beware of using your phone road side. These bastards appear to be completing these acts of theft unchecked and have done so for a while.

[nunhead_man]

To add we were out and about driving on Brockley Road on Saturday and were ovetaken one motor scooters and undertaken by another, both with two bods (driver and pillion) and being driven very quickly and in a dangerous fashion while a Police helicopter watched from above

[Sue]

singalto Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> The police keeps telling us not to use our phones

> in the street. I'm sure it is possible to survive

> for a bit without staring at a phone, particularly

> if it avoids getting it stolen....

Not if you play Pokemon Go :))

[Jeremy]

TheArtfulDogger Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Sadly, whilst it is good advice, it's a sad state

> of affairs where we are advised not to use a

> mobile phone in public or on the move

I'm not sure it's a "sad state of affairs"... mugging is not a new phenomenon, and it's never, ever going to go away. There are precautions you can take which may possibly reduce the chances of being a target. So it's your call.

As for technology to render stolen phones useless - yes I agree, but until it is commonplace AND installed/activated by the majority of owners, then thieves will still target them. In the meantime you have to be a bit pragmatic.

[KidKruger]

Sue - "Not if you play Pokemon Go"

Didn't I bump into a certain lady one evening last week on the pavement bordering Goose Green playing that game on their mobile as they walked along...........?

[JohnL]

KidKruger Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Sue - "Not if you play Pokemon Go"

>

> Didn't I bump into a certain lady one evening last

> week on the pavement bordering Goose Green playing

> that game on their mobile as they walked

> along...........?

I do too :)

It's balancing out risk versus convenience

It's difficult to give general advice as they'll go for easy/detached targets.

[Sue]

KidKruger Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Sue - "Not if you play Pokemon Go"

>

> Didn't I bump into a certain lady one evening last

> week on the pavement bordering Goose Green playing

> that game on their mobile as they walked

> along...........?

Exactly.

And I don't intend to stop :))

But I'm definitely more aware of mopeds and scooters now.

And btw it was the other end of Goose Green from where the OP was :)