Thieves on mopeds grab phones from London workers

Brazen thieves riding mopeds have been snatching the mobile phones of unsuspecting workers in London.

The UK's Metropolitan Police Service and City of London Police are working together to target moped crime on the streets of the English capital.

City of London Police released CCTV footage of an example of a moped robbery on their social media channels on Thursday.

In the footage, a man wearing a suit can be seen walking down a street and looking at his phone.

As he is about to cross a road, two people on a moped ride up behind him.

One of the robbers is focussed on riding the scooter, while the passenger snatches the phone out of the man's hands.

"The footage serves as a stark reminder to members of the public that phone snatchers are using this method in the City of London, as well as other surrounding parts of the capital," City of London Police wrote.

Metropolitan Police announced on Thursday that eight people have been charged as part of Operation Vocare - an intelligence-led operation to combat moped-enabled crime.

All of the men arrested are aged between 19 and 23 years old.

A further five people were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to rob.

"The arrests and charges come at the culmination of a five-month intelligence-led operation to target and dismantle an organised crime gang, using mopeds to commit a variety of offences across north London," the Metropolitan Police said.