In a major crackdown against mobile phone snatchers and shoplifters, London Metropolitan Police arrested 46 persons after a two-week-long operation. They were arrested for phone snatching and for buying and smuggling out stolen phones.
Nearly 40,000 stolen phones were smuggled out from the United Kingdon to China in the last one year.
Nearly 28 properties across London and Hertfordshire were searched during the crackdown against phone snatchers and smugglers.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan described this as “the largest operation of its kind in the history of UK”. He said, “it was humbling to see first-hand how the Met are going after the leaders of international smuggling gangs as well as street robbers and snatchers fuelling this industrial-scale crime.”
In my prime time show ‘Aaj Ki Baat’ on India TV last night, we showed videos of phone snatchers and police nabbing the criminals.
In the last four to five years, goons have been going around posh localities and popular tourist spots like Westminster, Trafalgar Square, Mayfair, West End, Buckingham Palace, Sky Garden and St. Paul’s Cathedral, snatching phones from unsuspecting individuals. A total of 32 snatchers were nabbed by police and seven stores in London buying stolen phones were sealed.
In one store alone, more than 2,000 stolen phones and other electronic gadgets amounting to nearly 5 lakh pounds were seized.
In 2020, more than 28,000 phones were snatched from pedestrians in London alone. This figure rose to 81,000 in 2024. On an average, one mobile phone is snatched in London every eight minutes.
As part of organized crime, snatchers riding on bikes target pedestrians and sell phones in the black market. These are then smuggled to China, where people buy these smartphones.
Under Operation Zoridon, London Met Police posted more than 300 policemen and policewomen in plainclothes to keep a watch. A steep rise in the number of immigrants in London has also resulted in rise in shoplifting cases. In one week alone, police raided more than 120 stores selling stolen costly products which include makeup, electrical goods, branded and packaged food. More than three dozen criminals, mostly immigrants, have been nabbed.
Police is using SelectaDNA liquid, a forensic property marking system that uses unique, invisible DNA codes, including a UV tracer, to help police find marked items or individuals. The liquid contains microscopic dots with a unique customer ID to property or criminals. Shoplifters are nabbed with the help of sniffer dogs who trace this liquid.
I have been a witness to snatching incidents on Oxford Street. In lanes, goons force a pedestrian to part with purse, watch or other costly items. If anybody refuses, the goons thrash the victims severely and break their bones.
A few days ago, somebody sent me the video of a lady, who refused to part with her purse. The goons smashed her face and she had to undergo plastic surgery, spenting several lakhs of rupees.
These are not stray incidents. Phone or purse snatching is common in posh localities like Mayfair. Any guest coming out of the Dorchester hotel in London is advised by guards to hide purse and mobile. Women are advised to hide their jewellery and earrings.
The situation has come to such a pass that police in London does not even register FIR for snatching, robbery or thrashing. Due to growing political pressure, police have now started taking action because London was getting a bad name among tourists. Most of the travellers were avoiding London.
While police have seized many stolen phones, many of the criminals have gone into hiding. More needs to be done. Let’s hope, police will take further action soon.

Diwali crackers in Delhi: Was AQI lesser this time?

Delhi’s air quality was recorded as ‘very poor’ a day after Diwali night, when the entire metro witnessed bursting of firecrackers. Strong winds prevented a drop to ‘severe’ category.
On Diwali night, AQI in some localities crossed 500, but in most of the areas, it remained less than 350. The capital was covered with smog on Tuesday morning and few morning walkers came out of their homes.
Delhi environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa claimed that pollution post-Diwali this year was less compared to last year. He alleged that paddy leftover (parali) was allowed to be burnt in Punjab by the AAP government on a large scale and this resulted in more pollution in Delhi.
Neighbouring Pakistan is also suffering from severe air pollution. Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi were covered with smog. Pakistani authorities alleged that smoke from Punjab and Haryana was causing pollution.
Diwali is hardly celebrated with firecrackers in Pakistan. The question is, why is Pakistan facing air pollution? On the same basis, people have started questioning why Diwali is held responsible for causing pollution due to firecrackers.
Delhi’s geographical situation is such that when cold winds blow towards the capital from the Himalayas, hot gases condense to become fog due to low temperature in Delhi. This causes a rise in AQI. If wind speed increases and there is sunshine, the smog disperses on its own.
On Diwali, AQI in Delhi was above 350, but by evening, it dropped to less than 200. After sunset, the AQI level again crossed 300.
This can be managed to some extent by using smog guns or fogging, but it cannot be removed fully. Air pollution decreases completely when there is rain.
There is some piece of good news. The capital may witness showers in a day or two. Till the time there are showers and AQI level improves , everybody must remain careful.
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