Four men arrested in London raids are accused of stealing phones to steal £300K in cash and crypto from pubgoers.

Four men, including three from north London and one from north-west London, were arrested in dawn raids by City of London Police on suspicion of a phone theft ring that stole over £300,000 between September 2024 and December 2025. They allegedly targeted pubgoers by gaining trust to access their phones, then stole devices to buy electronics and drain cryptocurrency accounts. All four remain in custody. Police stressed that phone theft causes financial loss, identity theft, and emotional harm, urging the public to use anti-theft features, biometric locks, and shield PINs. Authorities also offer a phone marking service. This follows a decline in London phone thefts and calls for stricter industry measures and reduced bail for repeat offenders.