TikTok influencer Grace Beverley shared the terrifying ordeal of her bag being stolen from between her feet while out in London – and shared the entire footage as a warning to her followers.
Grace Beverley shared a TikTok detailing the theft of her Chanel bag from between her feet as she dined at an outdoor restaurant in Notting Hill, London.
The influencer, who has over 269k followers on the social media platform, said that she is usually “observant and really really careful with [her] bag and phone in London, but [her] whole bag just got robbed from between [her] feet at a restaurant.”
In her upload, she explained how her bag was “squeezed between [her] feet and this man managed to get the whole thing.” The bag was her “first ever brand-new vintage Chanel”.
Grace also uploaded the CCTV footage of the theft, telling her viewers to keep an eye on the “man with the pink bag”. In the footage, the man circles around Grace and her sister a few times before taking a seat behind their table. He swiftly reaches for Grace’s bag before putting it in his tote bag and walking away.
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There have been sharp increases in theft from a person offences and shoplifting, as both reach their highest level since current police recording practices began in 2003.
The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) found there was an estimated 2.9 million theft incidents in 2024, a 13% increase from the previous year. Theft from the person was up by 50% and the most stolen item overall from a person were mobile phones.
Many people have come online to share their experiences of being mugged in London in a bid to help people in the city stay vigilant and aware.
One TikTok user Ella Rose Zorhra shared how her brand new phone got stolen in London. She detailed how someone came from behind and nicked her phone right from her hands, before speeding off on an electric bike.
She shouted “someone stop them” but in hindsight she said she was glad no one did, as “these people could be armed”.
“I heard horror stories of people being pushed into the road, people being struck down, they didn’t touch me in anyway shape or form, so I’m very glad that I got away fully unscathed,” she said.
“This is now the second phone that I’ve lost to London. Had one stolen out of my bag in a bar in Soho and now I’ve had one stolen out of my hand.”
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Ella ended her video with a warning: “To everyone even if you think you’re in a safe area, even if you think you’re in a safe position, it is not worth having your phone out at any point.” She advised her viewers to get phone insurance, a wrist strap for their devices, and to keep their phones out of sight.
How to stay safe from pickpocketing and personal robbery
The Met Police’s guidance to protect yourself from street theft is listed on their website:
- Look confident: you are less likely to be targeted
- Know where you are going: Plan your route. Keep to well-lit, busy streets which are more covered by CCTV
- Hide it: Keep your phones and valuables out of sight. Never leave them on the table of an outdoor cafe, pub or restaurant. Same for jewellery to keep covered, out of sight
- Finally, if threatened with violence don’t risk your personal safety. Property can be replaced you can’t
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