Shocking footage has emerged of the terrifying moment a brazen thief tried to steal an Australian tourist’s phone.
Indigenous Australian Naarah was filming herself walking down the street in central London after attending a show last week when the hooded robber tried to snatch her phone.
Footage of the brazen act, which was later uploaded to TikTok, showed the chilling moment the person approached Naarah from behind on a motorbike.
The person took the phone out of his hand, but was unable to steal it because it was attached to a strap.
Naarah, who moved to London last year to study theatre and drama at the Royal Academy of Music, couldn’t believe she was able to capture the dramatic moment on camera.
The expat, who grew up in Tasmania, urged travellers to keep an eye on and protect their personal belongings at all times.
“Petty crimes are very common here. Don’t take them for granted because they can literally happen to you at any time,” he said.
Naarah also urged tourists to carry a phone strap when they leave home, something she never leaves home without.
Naarah was walking down the street in central London after attending a show a few days ago when the hooded robber (pictured, over her right shoulder) attempted to snatch the device from her.
The strap can be inserted into the connector located at the bottom of the phone and can also be worn crossed over the shoulders.
The video, which has since attracted more than a million views, was flooded with comments from viewers sharing their own similar experiences.
“I was in London last week and saw the same thing happen to a tourist in broad daylight,” wrote one.
Another added: “It happened to me once in Manchester. They sent it back because it was rubbish and they didn’t want it.”
Others revealed that phone theft is common in the city and in crowded places in the area.
“This has been going on for over 10 years in London,” one viewer commented.
Another added: “This happens quite often outside my workplace in Southwark.”
Last year, on average, a mobile phone was stolen every six minutes in London, according to figures from the Metropolitan Police.
In 2022, a total of 90,864 phones were stolen, which equates to around 250 phones stolen per day.
Naarah (pictured), who grew up in Tasmania, urged travellers to protect their personal belongings at all times and encouraged them to invest in phone straps.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has urged bosses at major mobile phone companies and manufacturers to tackle rising phone theft.
The Australian government recently updated its travel advice for the UK following mass protests across Britain.
Protests erupted after three girls were killed in a horrific stabbing attack in July.
The Smart Traveller website has urged Australians to “exercise a high degree of caution” if they visit the UK.
