London’s 'most notorious phone snatcher' jailed as video shows police ramming him off bike with ‘tactical contact’
12 August 2024, 16:03 | Updated: 12 August 2024, 16:16
A prolific phone thief described by police as 'London’s most notorious phone-snatcher' has been jailed for two years.
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28-year-old Sonny Stringer pleaded guilty to theft in June after stealing 24 phones in the space of an hour in central London on 26 March.
Officers managed to catch Stringer near Bank Station using CCTV cameras after he led officers on a chase through the City on an electric bike by driving at speeds of almost 50mph.
Stringer, of Islington, was sentenced to 24 months in prison at Isleworth Crown Court on Thursday charged with theft and dangerous driving.
The force previously released footage of Stringer being detained after officers in a vehicle rammed him off the electric bike.
London's most notorious phone snatcher seen getting caught in police footage
The footage released by the force includes dashcam footage which shows a police vehicle ram Stringer off his bike as he overtakes a bus at high speeds.
Shouts of "stay where you are" and "get down" can be heard as the officers get out of their vehicle.
There are also a series of shots from CCTV cameras which show the high-speed pursuit involving Stringer and an accomplice and a marked police vehicle through central London.
The pair manage to evade the initial police vehicle but Stringer is then knocked off as an unmarked police car approaches from ahead.
The police were made aware of Stringer’s activities that morning when they received reports of a woman having her iPhone 15 snatched on Blackfriars Bridge.
Chief Superintendent William Duffy has urged Londoners to take care when using their phones in the capital after the sentencing of the “prolific” phone-snatcher.
He said: “Phone snatching has a significant impact on victims and it is right that Stringer received a custodial sentencing for snatching mobiles on London’s streets.
“The successful capture and prosecution of a prolific phone snatcher shows City of London Police’s focus on detecting and bringing to justice those who steal from people on our streets.
“We’d urge people to be aware of their surroundings when using their mobile phones on the street. Limit the opportunities for criminals to target you by reducing the number of times you have your phones out while in the street.”
Read more: Strictly star has phone snatched by masked biker in London
Stringer received 20 months in jail for each of the theft charges as well as an additional four months for dangerous driving.
Control Officer Lynn Newins said: “When we saw that officers had apprehended one of the suspects it was a huge sense of achievement for all those involved."
The City of London Police said that it was Road Police Officer PC Smith who "made the operational decision to initial 'tactical contact'" on Stringer.
