Boy Threatened With Knife For His Phone
Incident took place at Merton Park tram stop
Police are appealing for witnesses after a 12-year-old boy was threatened with a knife before his phone was stolen at the Merton Park tram stop.
They are also asking for information on anyone who saw another phone theft as a train pulled into Wimbledon station.
Detective Constable Mark Agrippa, who is investigating both incidents, is calling on anyone who was in the area at the time to get in touch as a matter of urgency.
CCTV images of people believed to have been in the area at the time of the incidents have just been released by British Transport Police in the hopes that members of the public may recognise them. See below for image 1 and scroll down for more:
Describing the first incident, which took place on Friday 14 December 2012, he said: "The victim, a 12-year-old boy, was waiting on the platform with a friend at Merton Park tramstop shortly before 4pm.
"A tram towards New Addington arrived and the boy’s friend boarded, while two men got off and approached the boy on the platform.
"One of the men produced a knife from his jacket and ordered the boy to hand over his phone, a Blackberry Bold valued at £150. They then grabbed the phone and ran away from the tramstop down an alleyway."
BTP officers want to identify and speak the two men, pictured in images 1 & 2, who were believed to be at the station at the time in connection with the theft.
The second incident took place less than four weeks later, on Thursday 10 January, when a man had placed his phone on the seat next to him as he travelled on the 10.57pm Waterloo to Wimbledon rail station.
DC Agrippa said: "As the train pulled into Wimbledon at 11.15pm, a man grabbed his iPhone 5, worth over £500, from the seat and ran off the train.
"The victim, a 39-year-old man from Surrey, chased after the suspect as he left the station but lost him in a crowd."
Officers want to speak to the three men in images 3, 4 and 5, who boarded the train at Clapham Junction in relation to this theft, as it is believed they may have important information relevant to the investigation.
DC Agrippa added: "We have carried out a number of enquiries to try and establish the identity of the men pictured, including speaking to witnesses and circulating images on police intelligence systems, but to no avail so far.
"People have the right to travel on the rail network without fear of crime and these were frightening and unprovoked attacks for both victims."
Anyone with information should contact British Transport Police on Freefone 0800 40 50 40 quoting B2/LSA of 18/04/13. Alternatively call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
April 19, 2013