A mum was left screaming in terror after a masked thief on e-bike snatched a brand new £2,000 phone from her hand.
Sade Amor had bought the iPhone 17 Pro Max phone just days earlier.
The 26-year-old was on the phone to her sister while walking to work when the thief struck.
Sade, who is an aspiring musician, claims the attacker appeared silently behind her, snatched her phone, scratched her face and ripped her false eyelashes off.
The terrifying incident happened in Hackney Wick, east London, at 4.30pm on Sunday (16 Nov).
“I was walking and talking to my sister on the phone when this young boy came up behind me on what looked like an electric bike,” Sade, of Hackney, told Need to Know.
“He was wearing black gloves, a hat, and had his face completely covered.
“Before I even realised what was happening, he snatched the phone clean out of my hand.
“The force of it made me scream and my sister heard everything on the phone.
“She thought something terrible had happened to me.
“When he pulled the phone away, he scratched the side of my face and even ripped off the edge of the eyelashes I had glued on.
“He cycled off immediately.
“I felt completely blindsided and helpless because I was just focused on getting to work and creating content for my music.
“In the moment, I was shocked like my brain couldn’t catch up with what had just happened.
“I was also instantly enraged and frustrated because my phone is a huge part of my work as a musician.
“I rely on it to shoot content, manage my socials, and capture behind-the-scenes moments.
“I was already on my way to something important, so it felt like everything had been ripped away from me in seconds.”
Sade says she’s been left “shaken up” since the attack.
She added: “When something like this happens, it’s not just a phone.
“It affects your safety, your work, and your peace of mind.
“I had only bought the phone earlier that week.
“Now that the shock has worn off, I feel a mix of anger and sadness.
“It’s the reality that London doesn’t feel safe at all.
“Someone can violate your space in broad daylight and get away with it in seconds.
“I’m more alert and cautious now when I’m out.
“As a young woman, a mother, and someone who works late and travels everywhere for shoots, it’s scary knowing things can change that quickly.
“But I’m not letting it stop me. If anything, it’s made me even more determined to push forward with my music and my goals.”
The Metropolitan Police have been approached for comment.
