Should phone theft be a priority? Some members of the public say that London’s status as a global crime capital is a national disgrace, with phone swiping one of the most prominent offences.
Police crackdown on e-bike ‘swipers’
Snatch and grab: According to the BBC, three-quarters of all the phones stolen in the UK are now taken in London. Glossary
Diatribe - An angry speech that severely criticises something.
Purporting - Appear to be or do something, especially falsely.
Staple - An important part of. A "staple diet" means the food, such as potatoes, pasta, or rice, that someone mainly lives on.
Dickensian - Relating to or characteristic of the novels of Charles Dickens, especially his vivid descriptions of poverty, social injustice, and harsh living or working conditions in Victorian England.
heist - Theft or, more accurately, armed robbery
Lucrative - Profitable, or something that makes a lot of money.
Temper - To neutralise something.
Epidemic - A widespread disease or infection.