‘Above and beyond the call of duty’: Phone-snatching youth found guilty after off-duty police officer intervenes

‘This is a fine example of bravery and excellent teamwork; an off-duty officer going above and beyond the call of duty’. Photograph: Metropolitan Police.

A teenager has been convicted after an off-duty officer spotted him armed with a knife about to snatch mobile phones.

The 17-year-old was found guilty of assault, possession of an offensive weapon, and one count of threatening a person with a bladed article at Stratford Magistrates Court on Friday 9 June.

At around 9am on Sunday 23 April, PC Nick Fox from the Metropolitan Police’s Central East Command Unit spotted two male youths on bicycles who were acting suspiciously and appeared to be looking for phones to snatch in Kingsland Road, E8.

PC Fox shouted at them and in response one of the males produced a knife and waved it at him.

The officer alerted local CCTV officers, the Robbery Taskforce and Response units.

He then spotted the youths again who appeared to be about to target a lone female victim.

The officer again shouted to alert the victim before one of the males got off his bike and approached the officer, drawing a knife from his bag.

The youth saw the Robbery Taskforce officer arrive and jumped back on his bicycle, pursued by PC Fox on foot.

A member of the public assisted officers by pushing the youth from his bicycle, allowing PC Fox to move in and detain him.

He was arrested and taken into custody.

A knife and three stolen mobile phones were retrieved.

Detective Chief Superintendent James Conway said: “This is a fine example of bravery and excellent teamwork; an off-duty officer going above and beyond the call of duty, swiftly and ably assisted by his on-duty colleagues who rapidly responded to help the safe detention of the suspect.

“I am immensely proud of their efforts to help keep members of the public safe, but I’m not surprised. My officers and staff are out there every day, working tirelessly for Londoners. Then they go home, get up and do it all over again. This shows that even outside work they are putting the safety of the public first.

“I’d also like to thank the woman who helped stop the male, but left the scene before we could speak to her. Her action showed real courage and a selfless determination to assist the police preventing harm.”

The teenager had pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery at an earlier hearing.

He was bailed for sentencing on a date to be confirmed in July.