RESIDENTS and business owners are living in fear over the “constant robbery” in Tufnell Park.

Parents have said children from Acland Burghley School are now scared to walk home because of the phone-snatching crime wave.

Tourists are seeking shelter in Tufnell Park Fish & Kebab shop, according to staff. Jason, who did not want his surname published, said that in the seven years he has worked at the shop he has never seen it so bad.

“Within the last year, it has increased so much”, he told the Tribune. “Usually it happens across the road as people come out of the station. Because they pay with their phone they have the phone in their hand or they’re looking for directions, and then all of a sudden their phone is just snatched and gone.”

The kebab shop workers recalled how one man had run into the shop after a robber had tried to take his £800 Canada Goose jacket.

Jason added: “It’s too common now, and the police don’t do anything. They can witness it happen and they’ll just let it go. They don’t care. It’s not about ‘under-resourced’. I think they just see it as small crime. They don’t see it as a life-threatening crime.”

He described how last week a friend had his phone stolen from just outside the kebab shop. Jason shared CCTV footage with the Tribune which showed a man in a Deliveroo jacket on a bike mount the pavement and grab the phone out of his friend’s hand before riding back onto the road.

“They’re running after him but it’s gone,” he said. “Once they go on the pavement and then on the road, people can’t chase them”, he said.

Lucy Reese, who lives near the station, said that the area had become more unsafe. “People need to be aware that that area is not what they think it is. It’s a bit of a robbery hot spot at the moment,” she said.

Ms Reese’s 16-year-old son described how one of his friends had been robbed at knifepoint last week.

“I’ve been really nervous on my walk home from school”, the teenager said. “That’s not something I’ve ever felt before.”

He added: “I’ve been trying to be more alert and also avoided using the station. I’ve ended up going to Kentish Town, even though it takes longer.”

Ms Reese added: “It is dangerous for teenage boys in London, just walking down the street. I think it’s absolutely terrible that a boy of 15 or 16 feels scared walking home in daylight.”

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: “We understand the impact crimes such as robbery and mobile phone theft have on how safe people feel in the area.

“We have a dedicated burglary and robbery investigation team, carry out proactive high visibility patrols and work alongside British Transport Police at transport hubs. We work in partnership with the local authority with joint patrols, effective use of CCTV and funded activity to support young people at risk of becoming victims.

“Since April 2024, we have seen a 5.3 per cent reduction in personal robbery offences in the area as a result of our work.

“We urge victims of robbery to call 999 as soon as possible, giving us the best chance of catching the perpetrators and returning valuables to their rightful owner.”