Out There: Locked-Up Groceries, Stealth Wealth & A Lunchtime Robbery
Or, how my fiancé got his phone nicked by wild children in the middle of a lunch service
Friends,
If you’re reading this for the first time – welcome. Out There is a newsletter about the things shaping how we live, work, and spend our money in the real world. Every two weeks or so, I report back from the streets, the feeds, and the random places I find myself, sharing what I find, connecting it back to brand and human behaviour in some loose way.
From this week, I’m shifting to a bi-weekly share – because the world moves fast, but life is coming at me fast and I need to make this experiment manageable.
Apropos of nothing, something new:
I’m launching the Writers’ Room – a free, no-pressure space for writerly folk to write absolute rubbish (on purpose). Think silly exercises, zero judgment, and a chance to shake off the perfectionism that strangles creativity.
🗓 Happening: Friday, 28th February, 1pm GMT
📍 Where: Zoom
🔗 Sign up here: Register now
That’s it. No commitment, no cost, no secret agenda – just a bit of structured chaos for the sake of it. If that sounds like your kind of thing, nab your spot.
It may be a one-off happening – it may be a quarterly gathering. We shall create a space and see what it becomes. If you’d like to be part of it – you are most welcome.
And so, to the matter. Ever had your phone nicked by a gang of Dickensian child beggars? Well, my fiancé and I can add that to the list of things that actually happened to us but sound made up (longer than you’d think.)
Anyway, if you have had your phone stolen, you know that moment of rising what-the-fuckness that hits as you realise it’s gone. We’re umbilically attached to our phones – our psychic connection to the world as we live more remote lives. So when someone steals it, it’s violating.
Well, that’s what happened to my fiancé and I last week. In the middle of a lovely London restaurant. By a small group of beggar children – like we were in Oliver Twist. They caused a scene, started begging at tables while the wait staff did nothing, tried to snatch food off our table, and while my fiancé tried to escort them out by himself, his phone got nicked.
Theft has always been part of city life, but that felt different. Much more visible, extremely brazen, I mean, literal children running wild and no one really knowing what to do about it. I will admit, I mainly shouted THAT’S MY HUMMUS and protected a bowl of challah while it was kicking off. So I can’t really claim any glory here.
Theft feels so everyday now, like there’s no one out there looking after us. In this particular incident, the wait staff at the restaurant literally just watched. Diners just sat there. Everyone just let it happen. And when we told the police? Nothing, because what can they do. It happens all the time.
On our local high street, we see the windows of a new Lidl regularly get bricked. People steal from the Co-op and Tesco express pretty regularly, the security guards are on point. You try and buy without a basket, or leave without a receipt – they’re having none of it.
It’s clear no one is looking out our stuff but us. And it’s shaping what we buy, how we carry our things, and even how we present ourselves in public.
So, what’s changed? And how is it affecting our behaviour?
A Phone Stolen Every Six Minutes
If you live in London, you already know. You see it on local Whatsapp groups, in messages from friends, in the way you shove your phone in your pocket. The crime stats make it official – mobile phone theft now accounts for nearly 70% of all thefts in London – that’s one phone stolen every six minutes.
There’s an entire economy around it. Phones snatched from unsuspecting hands, stripped of their data, shipped overseas or broken down for parts. And despite Apple’s Activation Lock making stolen iPhones useless for resale, thieves don’t care. They just sell them for scraps or ship them to places where the lock doesn’t matter.
It’s changing how people walk the streets. I’ve spoken to friends who now avoid pulling their phones out in public altogether. Some tether them to their bags or coats. Others go for tourist-style bum bags that lock from the inside. I actually don’t know how they get into them. But these bags are literally designed to counter theft. And they’re only getting more popular.
Protected Goods
It’s not just phones. Theft is actively changing the way we shop and dress.
Retailers are going full on dystopia, locking everyday items behind glass – stuff I wouldn’t have thought people would steal. The new commodities – booze, baby formula, olive oil, vapes, and occasionally, salmon. There are now gates that only open upon showing receipts, while express supermarkets are hiring extra security guards and booths for their staff.
And then there’s fashion. The recent spike in luxury thefts – Hermès bags, Rolex watches, anything vaguely bling – has made the ultra-wealthy rethink their approach. Enter stealth wealth, the trend of wearing expensive things that don’t look expensive. If it doesn’t scream money, it’s less of a target. The £3,000 handbag that looks like a £30 tote? That’s the vibe.
The Underground Resale Market
Of course, none of this happens in isolation. The stolen goods end up somewhere. Depop, eBay, Backmarket, neighbourhood Whatsapp deal groups selling “like-new” iPhones at prices that are just a little too good to be true.
At the same time, shoppers are catching on. If you buy secondhand, you might be getting a bargain. Or you might be funding grab-and-go crime. Because of the ongoing Cozzie Livs, a lot of people are choosing not to ask too many questions. Honestly, I get it. New stuff is expensive, especially if you’re held hostage by Apple’s ecosystem.
So Now What?
This is the part where I’d usually offer some sage advice. But honestly? The only thing to do is adapt.
Dress down when you’re in high-theft areas – sometimes it’s best to embrace tourist mode.
Ditch the open-top tote. Crossbody, zipped, phone on a lanyard – nothing easy to snatch.
AirTags and tracking devices aren’t just for luggage anymore – hide them in your bag, attach them to your keys. Bonus – you might actually find them regularly!
Don’t assume your insurance will cover theft. Read the fine print now, not after the fact.
If you’re buying secondhand, think twice before snapping up a “too good to be true” deal. Check the IMEI number to find out whether it’s blacklisted.
Theft is more than an inconvenience—it’s actively reshaping the way we move through the world. We’re adapting, but at what cost?
Until next time, nerds. Keep your bags zipped, your phone stuffed in your pocket, and your expensive stuff looking cheap.