Gangs on scooters and push bikes hit six lone victims while they walked along holding their devices in their hands, Southwark police said.
Two thefts occurred in Burgess Park on Saturday afternoon while muggers also struck in Old Kent Road, Elephant and Castle and Walworth.
Officers have urged people to be vigilant.
A tweet from Southwark Police’s account read: “We had a high number of phones snatched yesterday afternoon by suspects on mopeds and push bikes in #SE1 #SE17 please be aware.”
The spate of thefts comes just weeks after Scotland Yard launched a crackdown on moped crime across the capital.
Gangs of youths are using stolen scooters, mopeds, motorcycles and bikes to commit tens of thousands of snatch offences across London, detectives said.
In a series of new measures designed to tackle the moped gangs the Met announced:
- A revamped Operation Venice campaign to co-ordinate action across London’s 32 boroughs
- Extra covert patrols to catch the bike thieves red-handed and plans for “tougher tactics” to seize offenders in the act.
- More sophisticated forensic techniques to track criminals to avoid the risk of a chase.
- A specialist tactical traffic advisor who can authorise high speed pursuits on duty 24/7 in the Met’s central London control room.
- A new facility to capture footage of scooter crimes taken by members of the public.
Special ‘recognisers’ being used to spot known offenders - one suspect in a recent spree of incidents outside the BBC was recognised by a mole on his forehead.
Police refused to give details of the tougher tactics but say it will allow officers to intervene more effectively and safely if they encounter scooter thieves.
