British Transport Police have released an image of a man they want to speak to after a passenger was punched in the face during a violent mobile phone robbery at Cutty Sark DLR station in Greenwich.
The incident happened shortly before 7pm on Monday, 17 August. The victim was at the south-east London station when a man snatched his mobile phone. Rather than let the thief walk away, he gave chase — but the pursuit turned violent when he was punched in the face.
Commuters and passers-by who saw the confrontation unfold stepped in to help. Thanks to their quick intervention the attack was brought to an end: the stolen handset was recovered and handed back to its owner.
Almost two months after the robbery, detectives investigating the case have now issued an image of a man they believe could hold information that assists their enquiries. Officers released the picture on Tuesday, 7 October, and say they are keen to speak to the individual pictured.
Detectives say the man in the image is not necessarily suspected of carrying out the robbery itself, but officers believe speaking to him could prove significant to the investigation. Releasing a picture is often a last resort for investigators, used when other lines of enquiry have been exhausted and a direct public appeal becomes the best chance of moving a case forward.
It is not the first time British Transport Police have turned to the public for help identifying people on the capital’s railways. Officers recently issued a CCTV appeal after a man was punched in the face at Hackney Downs station in a separate investigation.
Anyone who recognises the man in the new image is urged to contact British Transport Police by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40, quoting reference 559 of 17 August. Information can also be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Cutty Sark DLR station sits at the heart of maritime Greenwich, a short walk from the famous 19th-century tea clipper it is named after, the Old Royal Naval College and the National Maritime Museum. The stop is among the busier stations on the Docklands Light Railway’s Bank to Lewisham branch, used by sightseers bound for the Cutty Sark ship, the Royal Observatory and the riverside as well as thousands of daily commuters travelling between south-east London and the City. Trains run through a single island platform reached by escalators from the ticket hall above, and the station can become crowded at peak times — conditions in which an opportunistic thief can strike quickly before melting into a crowd.
The Greenwich peninsula and its transport links draw millions of visitors a year, and police regularly remind passengers that busy stations and interchanges are prime hunting grounds for phone snatchers. Thieves typically target people with expensive handsets on display — on escalators, near ticket gates or while waiting on platforms — before making a fast escape on foot.
Violent incidents on London’s public transport have repeatedly made headlines this year. A father cradling a baby was bitten and punched when a family was attacked on an east London train, while a Tube passenger was beaten inside Earl’s Court station and then followed and attacked a second time.
Officers advise passengers to keep phones and other valuables out of sight where possible, to stay aware of their surroundings on platforms, concourses and escalators, and — however tempting it may be — not to chase thieves. Instead, witnesses are urged to note descriptions and report what they saw. Crimes on trains, the Underground, trams and at stations can be reported discreetly to British Transport Police by texting 61016, a service designed for situations where making a call feels unsafe or impractical. In an emergency, always dial 999.
Detectives continue to investigate the Cutty Sark robbery. Officers say anyone with information — no matter how small or insignificant it may seem — could help bring the person responsible to justice.
