‘Mind the Grab': Currys tells Oxford Street shoppers ‘don't use phones on pavement'
Purple lines have been painted along Oxford Street to remind pedestrians to step back from the kerb and keep their mobiles hidden.
The move, which is modelled on the Tube's iconic yellow 'mind the gap' lines, is part of a campaign by Currys to help eradicate phone theft on high streets – with a phone stolen on average every 15 minutes in Westminster last year.
The thefts often involve criminals on mopeds or e-bikes snatching phones straight from people's hands on busy pavements.
New anti-theft signage will also be installed on Oxford Street as part of the 'Mind the Grab' campaign, which has been backed by Westminster Council, the Metropolitan Police, and the charity Crimestoppers.
Ed Connolly, the chief commercial officer at Currys, said: 'Phone theft isn't just about losing a device – it's frightening, invasive, and cuts people off from their loved ones, their money, and their daily lives.
'Enough is enough. It's time to draw the line on phone theft – that's why we've launched the Mind the Grab campaign: a bold pavement marking we believe can make a real difference by encouraging people to step back from the kerb.'
Westminster Council has granted permission for the study to be tried on one of the capital's busiest streets.
Deputy leader Aicha Less said: 'This campaign is a great example of how we are working with partners to raise awareness about phone thefts and promote simple measures to stay safe in public spaces, such as keeping valuables out of sight and planning routes home in advance.'
Some 34,203 mobile phones were stolen in Westminster in 2024 – equivalent to 94 a day, an FOI request to the Met revealed.
And some 77 per cent of British people view 'phone snatching' as a significant problem in the UK, rising to 88 per cent in large cities such as London, research commissioned by Currys found.
The issue is causing 73 per cent of people to feel fearful of having their phone stolen when in the capital, according to the study, which sampled more than 2,700 respondents.
Currys has trained staff at its Oxford Street store to support victims of phone theft, including contacting their family and the police, cancelling cards, and helping them get home safely.
The retailer, which is working in partnership with the Institute for Crime & Justice Policy Research (ICPR), based at Birkbeck, University of London, said it hoped the campaign would change the public's behaviour.
A spokesman from ICPR said: 'The research team at Birkbeck are very excited to be involved in this pilot and to observe how the use of a simple nudge technique - a vibrant purple line on the pavement – coupled with a play on a well-known phrase to all London Underground commuters – 'Mind the Gap' – can influence behavioural change in pedestrians in phone snatching hot-spots'.
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