Moment moped-riding phone thief is caught red-handed by police hours after he ripped device out of woman’s hands – as he is jailed for four years

A moped-riding phone thief has been caught red-handed by the police hours after he ripped the device out of woman’s hands. 

CCTV released by the Met Police showed a masked Amari Scott, 20, mount the pavement in Croydon, south London earlier this year on March 6. 

He can then been seen approaching the woman from behind before snatching the mobile out of her hands and jetting off again down the road. 

Hours later the authorities had managed to track him down inside a shop using the phone’s location tracker. 

He was found in possession of two stolen phones and a stolen motorbike, and has now been jailed for four years. 

CCTV released by the Met Police showed a masked Amari Scott, 20, mount the pavement in Croydon, south London earlier this year on March 6

He can then been seen approaching the woman from behind (bottom left) before snatching the mobile out of her hands and jetting off again down the road

Hours later the authorities had managed to track him down inside a shop using the phone’s location tracker

One of the officers was heard on body cam footage before Scott was led away in handcuffs saying: ‘We’ve just had a moped rob a mobile phone off the pavement and the phone is pinging in this location.’ 

He was arrested as part of a crackdown in the area along with two other teenagers who committed four robberies in half an hour. 

The perpetrators, aged 16 and 17, were issued with referral orders after pleading guilty to charges of robbery, attempted robbery and attempted grievous bodily harm.

This were found guilty of eight other robberies in south London on August 5, including one robbing one homeless person at knifepoint outside Croydon library. 

He was found in possession of two stolen phones and a stolen motorbike, and has now been jailed for four years

He was arrested as part of a crackdown in the area along with two other teenagers who committed four robberies in half an hour

Chief Inspector James Weston said: ‘We understand the impact that robbery has on victims – it is invasive and frightening.

‘That’s why our teams are working so hard to deter and catch offenders to reassure our local community.

‘Thanks to the hard work of officers, our partners and community grassroots organisations, we are stepping up our efforts and tackling the issues that matter most to the people of Croydon.’