SWSYapple – by James Gamble
Shocking footage shows the moments a gang of mask-wearing youths storm an Apple store and snatch display phones – as terrified shoppers watch on in horror.
The video shows around nine young men wearing masks and with their hoods up running into the store at the Brent Cross Shopping Centre in North London.
The individuals are then seen ripping phones off displays before making off with them whilst parents run with their children from the store.
Police have now confirmed that six teenagers, all aged between 14 and 18, have been arrested in connection with the incident.
Two security guards in hi-vis jackets are seen in the footage trying to stop the perpetrators but are unable to do so.
When one of the youths flees the store, a man is also seen kicking out at him – causing the fleeing thief to turn around and confront him.
Christina Anagnosti was in the John Lewis café in the shopping centre on Sunday (05/01) afternoon when the incident occurred.
“It was out of nowhere,” she said.
“I don’t remember why I started filming but I saw some movement.
“It all happened really quickly… They [the thieves] did seem quite young.
“The security guard didn’t do much.
“An Apple store is not the kind of place you’d expect this to happen.
“They took all the phones off the displays. It seemed really easy to rip them off.”
A Met Police spokesperson said six teenage boys were arrested after allegedly stealing a ‘large number’ of mobile phones.
The spokesperson said: “Six teenage boys have been arrested following a theft from a shop in Barnet after police arrived quickly at the scene.
“Police were called at around 14:35hrs on Sunday, 5 January to reports that a group had entered a shop in Brent Cross Shopping Centre before stealing a large number of mobile phones.
“Officers attended and quickly made arrests a short time after the incident was reported to police.
“The teenagers, all aged between 14-18, were all arrested on suspicion of robbery and taken to custody, where they remain for questioning. Enquiries continue.”
ENDS
