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Beware of ‘hugger muggers’
POLICE are warning clubbers to be on their guard against “hugger muggers” – thieves who pretend to be your friend while they pick your pocket behind your back.
Officers are telling revellers to watch out for anyone trying to befriend them out of the blue, especially if they put their arms around you or try to distract you.
Det Insp Henry Lindsey of West End Central police station said: “The message is simple: if you are approached by a stranger who tries to hug you, dance with you or start up a conversation, they may well be trying to steal from you.”
Police have launched a crackdown, codenamed Operation Tiffanie, will see 50 extra officers patrolling Soho and Shaftesbury Avenue over the holidays, which can be a peak period for pickpockets.
Some of the officers, to be backed up by police dogs, are to work undercover to target known criminals. In a similar operation last year 312 arrests were made over seven weeks.
To avoid becoming a victim, police say you should keep handbags closed and never carry a wallet in a back pocket
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