Latest news with #EmmaVanDerHoek
Metro
2 days ago
- Metro
Model's fury at phone snatchers after they take her mobile twice in three months
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video An Australian model is begging London to sort out the spate of phone snatching after she had her mobile stolen twice in three months. Footage shows Emma Van Der Hoek getting her phone wrestled off her by a man in a dark tracksuit who ran away after prizing it out of her hands. She was walking on the corner of Sotheby Road and Highbury Park along the path on her phone when the thief attacked her. Emma tries to chase after the man but he was able to sprint around the corner as another man followed him. She wrote: 'My phone got stolen yesterday in London!!! This is the second time in three months that this has happened – all within my so called 'safe' neighbourhood.' But she was then subject to online abuse, with trolls blaming her for the robbery. Some 78,000 people had phones or bags stolen from them on British streets in the year to March 2024. That is a rise of more than 150% on the 31,000 'snatch thefts' in the 12 months before, according to data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales. Figures also show that four in five police investigations were closed before a suspect was even found and just 0.8% of 'theft from the person' complaints resulted in a charge. The government has pledged to crackdown on the scourge, with the Home Office saying it will work more closely with tech firms and police chiefs. In this year alone, 213 phones have already been stolen in the City of London. For the same period between 1 January and 30 April last year, there were 294 phone snatching reports. Emma added: 'This video is at nearly 500k views on TikTok and the amount of victim blaming comments is actually insane. 'People have got so used to theft in London that they've started blaming the victims instead of holding criminals accountable. 'If you are one of the boys that stole my phone, return it and I'll delete the video. If anyone's knows anything, please message me!' She is one of thousands of victims in London. While the Met has made significant progress in stopping snatchers, it is clear more needs to be done. This week the Met announced they managed to arrest 10 people involved in phone snatching gangs with their new Flying Squad. On Thursday, 19 June eight men, aged between 20 and 31, and two 17-year-old boys were arrested at addresses in London on suspicion of conspiracy to commit robbery. Detective Chief Inspector Laura Hillier, who is leading the investigation from the Met's Flying Squad, said: 'Phone robbery has boomed globally, and London is not immune. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 'There is a concerted effort by criminal gangs to steal phones and sell them overseas as part of a multi-million-pound industry. More Trending 'The Met is catching more of these criminals and operations such as this are vital to disrupting offenders who cause fear and misery to shop workers and communities.' The force also carried out a two week focus at the start of the year, leading to the arrests of 292 people. In footage released by the Metropolitan Police, one plain clothed police officer is seen spotting a phone snatcher, in a dark blue backwards baseball cap and black jacket in Oxford Circus. The thief had targeted an elderly person in the tourist hot spot, but one officer spotted the attack and tackled him to the ground in front of shocked pedestrians. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Ex-UFC fighter in fresh bid for jail pardon after role in £53,000,000 Securitas heist MORE: Dad-of-six told police he was being abused weeks before ex 'stabbed him in heart' MORE: Boy, 11, charged with first-degree murder was wanted over string of other violent crimes
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Moment model chases down thief who snatched her phone after creeping up behind her on pavement
THIS is the chilling moment a model chases down a brazen thief who snatched her phone in broad daylight. Australian fashion model and influencer Emma Van Der Hoek was targeted while walking alone on a pavement in Highbury, North London on Tuesday. Advertisement 4 Model Emma Van Der Hoek shared footage of her phone being nicked Credit: Instagram / emmavanderhoek_ 4 The fashionista and influencer has pleaded with the thieves to return her mobile Credit: Instagram / emmavanderhoek_ 4 She tried to chases down the brazen thief but was unable to catch them Credit: Instagram / emmavanderhoek_ 4 She blasted people who said it was her fault saying they were 'victim-blaming' Credit: Instagram / emmavanderhoek_ The star shared footage of the terrifying moment her phone was snatched straight from her hand online, stating she'd also had a phone stolen earlier this year. 'This is the second time in three months this has happened – all within my so-called 'safe' neighbourhood,' an exasperated Emma wrote on Instagram The shocking clip shows Emma looking at her phone as she strolls along a quiet street just ten minutes from Arsenal's Emirates Stadium. Looking at her phone, wearing a pair of tracksuits and a long sleeve spotted top, she's unaware that one of her most prized possession is about to be nabbed. Advertisement Read more News Without warning, a masked man dressed head-to-toe in black dashes up and snatches the phone in one slick movement. Emma bravley darts after the attacker but the thief vanishes around the corner. Another man, also dressed in black, appears moments later and follows after them. She shared the footage on TikTok but was shocked to find that many people were blaming her for the traumatic event. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Emma found that people were blaming her for the theft rather than the criminal. She wrote: 'The amount of victim-blaming comments is actually insane. Moment TikTok star has phone stolen during live-stream 'People have got so used to theft in London that they've started blaming the victims instead of holding criminals accountable.' In a desperate attempt to get her phone back, the influencer writes directly to the thieves themselves. Advertisement She added: "If you are one of the boys that stole my phone, return it and I'll delete the video.' She urged anyone with information to message her directly. Fans of Emma were quick to take to the comments to express their horror at the event but gratitude that she was unscathed. One wrote: "Glad you're safe sis." Advertisement Another added: "So sorry to hear this darling, I hope you can get it back." A third responded: "So scary! I'm sorry this keeps happening to you." The robbery is part of a growing epidemic of mobile phone thefts sweeping the capital. Data obtained by The Sun reveals the worst hit areas across Greater London, with one popular tourist hotspot hit by as many as 37 Advertisement The Metropolitan Police has warned that Almost 80,000 handsets were stolen last year - that's up by about 16,000 on 2023. Perhaps unsurprisingly, tourist hotspots tend to rank highest, which is especially worrying for anyone planning on venturing into the capital over the summer. However, hundreds of incidents were reported in typically residential areas up and down Greater London, too. Advertisement The Met Police told The Sun that criminals behind the problem are making millions by being able to easily sell on stolen devices either here or abroad. "We are seeing phone thefts on an industrial scale," a Met Police spokesperson told The Sun. "In response, we have increased patrols in hotspot areas while officers are using phone-tracking data and intelligence to pursue those responsible. "By intensifying our efforts, we're catching more perpetrators and protecting people from having their phones stolen in the capital. Advertisement "The Met is also working with other agencies and government to tackle the organised criminality driving this trade and calling on tech companies to make stolen phones unusable. "We are reminding victims to report their phone as stolen as soon as possible to maximise the chance of catching the perpetrator, too often thefts are reported hours or days later." How to Protect Your Phone from Thieves PHONE 'snatch thefts' are soaring, with more than 1,000 stolen in London every week. Here are some tips to protect your phone from thieves. Stay aware when walking — avoid using your phone near roads or in public if possible. Hold your phone firmly and consider using a strap or lanyard. Keep your phone out of sight in risky areas or crowded spots. Secure your device with a strong passcode or biometric lock. Turn on location tracking features in case it's stolen. Back up important data regularly to avoid losing it.
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Moment model chases down thief who snatched her phone after creeping up behind her on pavement
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THIS is the chilling moment a model chases down a brazen thief who snatched her phone in broad daylight. Australian fashion model and influencer Emma Van Der Hoek was targeted while walking alone on a pavement in Highbury, North London on Tuesday. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Model Emma Van Der Hoek shared footage of her phone being nicked Credit: Instagram / emmavanderhoek_ 4 The fashionista and influencer has pleaded with the thieves to return her mobile Credit: Instagram / emmavanderhoek_ 4 She tried to chases down the brazen thief but was unable to catch them Credit: Instagram / emmavanderhoek_ 4 She blasted people who said it was her fault saying they were 'victim-blaming' Credit: Instagram / emmavanderhoek_ The star shared footage of the terrifying moment her phone was snatched straight from her hand online, stating she'd also had a phone stolen earlier this year. 'This is the second time in three months this has happened – all within my so-called 'safe' neighbourhood,' an exasperated Emma wrote on Instagram The shocking clip shows Emma looking at her phone as she strolls along a quiet street just ten minutes from Arsenal's Emirates Stadium. Looking at her phone, wearing a pair of tracksuits and a long sleeve spotted top, she's unaware that one of her most prized possession is about to be nabbed. Without warning, a masked man dressed head-to-toe in black dashes up and snatches the phone in one slick movement. Emma bravley darts after the attacker but the thief vanishes around the corner. Another man, also dressed in black, appears moments later and follows after them. She shared the footage on TikTok but was shocked to find that many people were blaming her for the traumatic event. Emma found that people were blaming her for the theft rather than the criminal. She wrote: 'The amount of victim-blaming comments is actually insane. Moment TikTok star has phone stolen during live-stream 'People have got so used to theft in London that they've started blaming the victims instead of holding criminals accountable.' In a desperate attempt to get her phone back, the influencer writes directly to the thieves themselves. She added: "If you are one of the boys that stole my phone, return it and I'll delete the video.' She urged anyone with information to message her directly. Fans of Emma were quick to take to the comments to express their horror at the event but gratitude that she was unscathed. One wrote: "Glad you're safe sis." Another added: "So sorry to hear this darling, I hope you can get it back." A third responded: "So scary! I'm sorry this keeps happening to you." The robbery is part of a growing epidemic of mobile phone thefts sweeping the capital. Data obtained by The Sun reveals the worst hit areas across Greater London, with one popular tourist hotspot hit by as many as 37 mobile thefts daily on average. The Metropolitan Police has warned that gangs are pocketing millions, with phone thefts "on an industrial scale". Almost 80,000 handsets were stolen last year - that's up by about 16,000 on 2023. Perhaps unsurprisingly, tourist hotspots tend to rank highest, which is especially worrying for anyone planning on venturing into the capital over the summer. However, hundreds of incidents were reported in typically residential areas up and down Greater London, too. The Met Police told The Sun that criminals behind the problem are making millions by being able to easily sell on stolen devices either here or abroad. "We are seeing phone thefts on an industrial scale," a Met Police spokesperson told The Sun. "In response, we have increased patrols in hotspot areas while officers are using phone-tracking data and intelligence to pursue those responsible. "By intensifying our efforts, we're catching more perpetrators and protecting people from having their phones stolen in the capital. "The Met is also working with other agencies and government to tackle the organised criminality driving this trade and calling on tech companies to make stolen phones unusable. "We are reminding victims to report their phone as stolen as soon as possible to maximise the chance of catching the perpetrator, too often thefts are reported hours or days later."
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
Moment model chases down thief who snatched her phone after creeping up behind her on pavement
THIS is the chilling moment a model chases down a brazen thief who snatched her phone in broad daylight. Australian fashion model and influencer Emma Van Der Hoek was targeted while walking alone on a pavement in Highbury, North London on Tuesday. 4 4 4 4 The star shared footage of the terrifying moment her phone was snatched straight from her hand online, stating she'd also had a phone stolen earlier this year. 'This is the second time in three months this has happened – all within my so-called 'safe' neighbourhood,' an exasperated Emma wrote on Instagram The shocking clip shows Emma looking at her phone as she strolls along a quiet street just ten minutes from Arsenal's Emirates Stadium. Looking at her phone, wearing a pair of tracksuits and a long sleeve spotted top, she's unaware that one of her most prized possession is about to be nabbed. Without warning, a masked man dressed head-to-toe in black dashes up and snatches the phone in one slick movement. Emma bravley darts after the attacker but the thief vanishes around the corner. Another man, also dressed in black, appears moments later and follows after them. She shared the footage on TikTok but was shocked to find that many people were blaming her for the traumatic event. Emma found that people were blaming her for the theft rather than the criminal. She wrote: 'The amount of victim-blaming comments is actually insane. Moment TikTok star has phone stolen during live-stream 'People have got so used to theft in London that they've started blaming the victims instead of holding criminals accountable.' In a desperate attempt to get her phone back, the influencer writes directly to the thieves themselves. She added: "If you are one of the boys that stole my phone, return it and I'll delete the video.' She urged anyone with information to message her directly. Fans of Emma were quick to take to the comments to express their horror at the event but gratitude that she was unscathed. One wrote: "Glad you're safe sis." Another added: "So sorry to hear this darling, I hope you can get it back." A third responded: "So scary! I'm sorry this keeps happening to you." The robbery is part of a growing epidemic of mobile phone thefts sweeping the capital. Data obtained by The Sun reveals the worst hit areas across Greater London, with one popular tourist hotspot hit by as many as 37 mobile thefts daily on average. The Metropolitan Police has warned that gangs are pocketing millions, with phone thefts "on an industrial scale". Almost 80,000 handsets were stolen last year - that's up by about 16,000 on 2023. Perhaps unsurprisingly, tourist hotspots tend to rank highest, which is especially worrying for anyone planning on venturing into the capital over the summer. However, hundreds of incidents were reported in typically residential areas up and down Greater London, too. The Met Police told The Sun that criminals behind the problem are making millions by being able to easily sell on stolen devices either here or abroad. "We are seeing phone thefts on an industrial scale," a Met Police spokesperson told The Sun. "In response, we have increased patrols in hotspot areas while officers are using phone-tracking data and intelligence to pursue those responsible. "By intensifying our efforts, we're catching more perpetrators and protecting people from having their phones stolen in the capital. "The Met is also working with other agencies and government to tackle the organised criminality driving this trade and calling on tech companies to make stolen phones unusable. "We are reminding victims to report their phone as stolen as soon as possible to maximise the chance of catching the perpetrator, too often thefts are reported hours or days later."
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Daily Mail
Moment Australian model has her phone snatched for the SECOND time in three months - then chases masked thieves
Horrifying footage shows the moment an Australian model had her mobile phone stolen for the second time in three months in a 'safe' neighbourhood. Emma Van Der Hoek claimed the ordeal took place in broad daylight on Tuesday while she was walking alone along the pavement. Dramatic CCTV footage shows the influencer looking down at her phone along a straight path. A man dressed in black and wearing a face mask suddenly comes up behind her and snatches the mobile out her hand before sprinting round a corner. Ms Van Der Hoek bravely chases after him but is not quite quick enough to catch up with the thief. Another man also dressed in black appears to follow behind the thug and model as they sprint out of view. Taking to Instagram to share the incident, the influencer wrote: 'My phone got stolen yesterday in London!!! This is the second time in three months that this has happened - all within my so called "safe" neighbourhood.' She then complained she had received abuse by online trolls, who blamed her for the daylight robbery. 'This video is at nearly 500k views on TikTok and the amount of victim blaming comments is actually insane,' she wrote. 'People have got so used to theft in London that they've started blaming the victims instead of holding criminals accountable. 'If you are one of the boys that stole my phone, return it and I'll delete the video. If anyone's knows anything, please message me!' It comes as phone thefts in London have hit a record high with a shocking 37 people having their mobile stolen every day in the capital's West End alone, it was reported last month. Recent data revealed almost 231,000 phone thefts and robberies were recorded over the past four years in the capital, a threefold increase. The epicentre for these brazen crimes is in the world's theatre capital, the West End, a magnet for tourists where around 40,000 phones were reported stolen over the same period, data by the Metropolitan Police shows. Phone thefts in London have soared to record levels, with organised gangs targeting busy areas such as the West End and St James's, where luxury streets and royal residences sit side by side with swarms of unsuspecting tourists and shoppers. One major hotspot identified is the area surrounding St James's Park, where Piccadilly and Haymarket meet Pall Mall and Clarence House, home to exclusive members' clubs and high-profile buildings. Analysis by The Times show the West End and St James's now account for a third of all phone thefts reported in the capital, up from a quarter in 2021. Scotland Yard figures show a staggering 81,256 mobile phone crimes were recorded in 2023, a 20 per cent year-on-year rise, and the highest on record. Police believe the true number is even higher, as many incidents go unreported. Other major hotspots include Bloomsbury, Holborn, Covent Garden, Shoreditch, Borough, London Bridge, Waterloo, South Bank, Camden Town, Regent's Park and Stratford. Since 2022, theft rates have risen in more than 200 suburbs across the capital — meaning over a third of London is now affected by the growing crisis. Most thefts are carried out by gangs on electric bikes, who either snatch phones directly from people's hands or operate in crowded areas to pickpocket victims. Police say the surge is fuelled by international black markets, where stolen devices are either sold on or stripped for parts — an illicit industry now worth over £50 million a year. Officers are urging Londoners to stick to well-lit, busy areas, remain alert, and keep valuables out of sight to avoid falling prey to the increasingly brazen criminals.
