Women in Dunkirk are the latest victims of street robbers thought to be targeting mobile phones.
At around 11.15am on Thursday (29 May 2014) a man approached a 20-year-old woman in Greenfield Street. He grabbed her handbag, containing a wallet, course notes and keys, pulling her to the floor and dragging her. He then fled with the bag in a light blue hatchback car.
On Tuesday (27 May 2014) a 21-year-old woman was attacked in Highfield Road. At about 4.15pm a man approached from behind and stole a mobile phone from her hand. She fought back but as he drove away, also in a light blue hatchback car, she was dragged alongside the vehicle. In both incidents the victims were left with cuts and bruises and extremely shaken by the ordeal.
The attacker is described as black and in his early 20s. He is of slim build, around 6ft tall and has short dark hair. Detective Sergeant Pam Dowson, of Radford Road CID, said: “In these two cases we think it was the work of the same man. He targeted women walking along quiet residential streets.
“Were you in the vicinity at the time of the attacks? Did you see or hear anything unusual or suspicious? Have you seen a car matching the description in the area? If so, call us. “We are seeing more street robberies in which people are being targeted for their Smartphones. There have been 17 more cases across Nottinghamshire this year, with a bit of a rise in the city in May.
In most cases the offenders threaten violence, sometimes implying they have a weapon. Sometimes offenders are on foot and other times they are on bikes or flee in cars. “We are doing all we can to prevent this, including directing patrols to particular areas, but you can also follow some simple advice to reduce your chances of becoming a target.” Avoid using your mobile phone in vulnerable or isolated locations, such as alleyways or underpasses, and certainly not when crossing roads or on bikes.
Be aware of your surroundings while on the phone and, when not in use, keep it in a zipped front pocket. Do not walk with your phone in your hand or in a rear pocket, where it could be grabbed. Why not consider a standard handset and pay-as-you-go option rather than a top-of-the-range model? These are less desirable to thieves.
If you own a Smartphone activate a tracking app and secure your keypad by activating a PIN code/pattern. Register your handset and IMEI number with Immobilise.
Be vigilant and report unusual or suspicious incidents to the police or call Crimestoppers anonymously.
At around 11.15am on Thursday (29 May 2014) a man approached a 20-year-old woman in Greenfield Street. He grabbed her handbag, containing a wallet, course notes and keys, pulling her to the floor and dragging her. He then fled with the bag in a light blue hatchback car.
On Tuesday (27 May 2014) a 21-year-old woman was attacked in Highfield Road. At about 4.15pm a man approached from behind and stole a mobile phone from her hand. She fought back but as he drove away, also in a light blue hatchback car, she was dragged alongside the vehicle. In both incidents the victims were left with cuts and bruises and extremely shaken by the ordeal.
The attacker is described as black and in his early 20s. He is of slim build, around 6ft tall and has short dark hair. Detective Sergeant Pam Dowson, of Radford Road CID, said: “In these two cases we think it was the work of the same man. He targeted women walking along quiet residential streets.
“Were you in the vicinity at the time of the attacks? Did you see or hear anything unusual or suspicious? Have you seen a car matching the description in the area? If so, call us. “We are seeing more street robberies in which people are being targeted for their Smartphones. There have been 17 more cases across Nottinghamshire this year, with a bit of a rise in the city in May.
In most cases the offenders threaten violence, sometimes implying they have a weapon. Sometimes offenders are on foot and other times they are on bikes or flee in cars. “We are doing all we can to prevent this, including directing patrols to particular areas, but you can also follow some simple advice to reduce your chances of becoming a target.” Avoid using your mobile phone in vulnerable or isolated locations, such as alleyways or underpasses, and certainly not when crossing roads or on bikes.
Be aware of your surroundings while on the phone and, when not in use, keep it in a zipped front pocket. Do not walk with your phone in your hand or in a rear pocket, where it could be grabbed. Why not consider a standard handset and pay-as-you-go option rather than a top-of-the-range model? These are less desirable to thieves.
If you own a Smartphone activate a tracking app and secure your keypad by activating a PIN code/pattern. Register your handset and IMEI number with Immobilise.
Be vigilant and report unusual or suspicious incidents to the police or call Crimestoppers anonymously.