Phone snatcher steals £21,000 from mobile banking apps | Weekly Words of Wisdom

A London commuter had £21,000 stolen from his bank accounts after a thief snatched his phone through closing tube doors. Despite having face ID and password protection, he discovered two days later that his accounts had been emptied. He highlighted the shift in motive for phone thefts, noting that criminals now target phones to access personal data and steal money rather than reselling the devices. 

Theft and robbery incidents on trains and stations in Britain have risen by 58% between 2018 and 2023, with more than 23,000 cases reported last year.  

London accounts for most train-related thefts, with other hotspots including Birmingham, Kent, Essex, and Manchester. Superintendent John Loveless of the British Transport Police noted that December typically has the highest number of theft reports.