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Merton transport muggers targeted after two recent thefts in the borough

Summary:

A 12-year-old boy had his phone stolen at knifepoint.

Image:

By Christine Dorisamy-Pillai

Police are appealing to the public for help in the hunt for muggers who attacked a 12-year-old boy in Merton.

Officers have released a photo of a man who they want to speak to in connection with the robbery (photo one).

The boy was waiting on a platform at Merton Park tramstop shortly before 4pm on Friday December 14 last year. 

When a tram which was going to New Addington pulled up at the platform, the boy’s friend got onboard, but two men alighted and approached the boy still on the platform.

Detective Constable Mark Agrippa said: “One of the men produced a knife from his jacket and ordered the boy to hand over his phone, a Blackberry Bold valued at £150. They then grabbed the phone and ran away from the tramstop down an alleyway.”

A separate incident took place less than four weeks later on Thursday 10 January 2013 on the 10:57pm train from Waterloo to Wimbledon rail station.

A 39-year-old Surrey man had placed his mobile phone on the seat next to him.

“As the train pulled into Wimbledon at 11.15pm, a man grabbed his iPhone 5, worth over £500, from the seat and ran off the train,” said DC Agrippa.

The police are looking for three men who boarded the train at Clapham Junction and are believed to know something about this crime.

“We have carried out a number of enquiries to try and establish the identity of the men pictured, including speaking to witnesses and circulating images on police intelligence systems, but to no avail so far,” added DC Agrippa.

Witnesses with any information on either of these crimes should contact British Transport Police on Freefone 0800 40 50 40 quoting B2/LSA of 18/04/13. Alternatively call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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