A call from my younger son’s secondary school was not what I was expecting at 11.30 a.m., but as soon as I heard the secretary speak I knew what had happened to him.
He’d just got himself a pair of Apple AirPods and was keen to use them – why wouldn’t he be? As he stepped off the bus, with his new wireless earphones in place, he was followed up the road to the school by two boys.
A strategy which targets crime gangs is more likely to yield results than a drive to investigate every phone theft
Suddenly, from behind, they made their move, grabbing him in a headlock. It took only a few seconds but enough time for them to get what they wanted: the AirPods, of course – and his smartphone.
What happened to my son, who was 15 at the time, is par for the course among teenagers in London. Although the circumstances are not always as violent as that, I suspect most young people will have their phone nicked at one time or another.
Britain’s best politics newsletters
You get two free articles each week when you sign up to The Spectator’s emails.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in