A BBC presenter has issued a safety warning to parents after his teenage daughter was hit in the face during an attempted phone theft on the London Underground
A BBC presenter’s daughter was left with a black eye after an attempted phone theft on the Tube. Nigel Clarke, a CBeebies presenter, revealed that someone tried to snatch his teenage daughter’s phone while she was travelling on the Tube earlier this week.
He detailed how his daughter managed to retain her phone before retaliating by kicking the would-be thief. Nigel then explained that his teenage daughter was struck in the face in response.
The television presenter utilised his platform to issue a warning to parents, particularly those residing in London.
He stated: “Parents, Londoners, phone snatching is rife right now and four weeks ago I witnessed it on the tube and then this week someone tried to steal my daughter’s phone on the Tube as well.
“She managed to hold on to her phone, she lashed out and kicked them, they hit her in the face, as you can see she’s got a black eye.
“I’ve spoken to her about this, about not retaliating… but I’ve praised her for holding her ground and holding on to her phone. Lots to unpick there but what I want to talk about is this crime on the tube.
“There’s an easy way to stop it or minimise the numbers of it happening and I want you to spread this and share it to your teens, I want adults to do it, whatever.
“It happens at stations just before the doors are about to close, just as the beep beep beep happens they snatch your phone then they run out the door, doors close and you can’t get to them.
“Don’t have your phone one out near the door and don’t have it out at the time when you’re in the station and the doors are about to close.
“If you want to get your phone out, change your song, do whatever you want to do, do it when you’re deep between the stations, when the doors are not open, it’s way less likely to happen then, okay.
“That’s the first thing we can do to combat it on the tube. I know it’s happening in the streets as well with people on bikes, that’s a whole different situation but for this one we can definitely bring the numbers down by being smart.”
Scores of viewers left messages beneath the clip sending Nigel’s daughter their best wishes and praising her courage.
One viewer wrote: “I hope your daughter is ok. I keep telling mine to keep her phone in her bag, don’t walk with it in her hand etc.”
A second commented: “Hope daughter is ok strong young lady.”
A third remarked: “incredibly brave young lady. sending lots of love.”
