As Cassandra Baker can attest, not even the prospect of getting caught live on camera is enough to overcome the seemingly unstoppable rise of phone theft on the streets of London.
The 46-year-old mother-of-three was livestreaming a charity walk on Facebook in early December when her broadcast was brought to a premature conclusion by masked thieves.
Baker can be heard shrieking as an innocuous discussion of her dinner plans is interrupted by two men riding mountain bikes, one of whom snatches her phone before the pair make off.
The incident occurred while Baker was walking with her children in the Bromley Common area of south-east London on the evening of Monday 2 December.
She had been raising money for Bromley and Croydon Women’s Aid, a charity that supports victims and survivors of domestic abuse.
In the clip, Baker is seen addressing the camera as she pushes a pram and walks alongside her young son while doting on her baby.
‘The most adorable baby I could ever wish for,’ she muses. ‘I’m so lucky. I love my children so much. Nobody’s life is perfect, but you’ve got to count your blessings.’
After wishing her followers a ‘magical Monday evening’, Baker’s thoughts turn to what she plans to cook once home.
A video grab of mother-of-three Cassandra Baker having her phone stolen by thieves on mountain bikes reveals a partial glimpse of one of the masked attackers
Baker, 46, was livestreaming a charity walk for Bromley and Croydon Women’s Aid, a charity that supports victims and survivors of domestic abuse
A video grab of the attack, which happened in the Bromley Common area of south-east London
‘I’m going to make salmon in the hole,’ she adds. ‘I’m going to make mashed potatoes, green beans, carrots, broccoli with salmon.
‘We’re pescatarian, so that means we don’t eat any meat, we just eat fish and vegetables.’
The mundanity of the moment stands in stark contrast to what follows as the thieves swoop, cutting her off in mid-sentence.
Baker later called for ‘more love and kindness’ as she took to social media to appeal for information about the identity of her attackers.
‘My phone was stolen from my hands on a Facebook live last night at approx 6.30pm, Bromley Common,’ she wrote on Facebook. ‘Raising money for Bromley and Croydon Women’s Aid.
‘Does anyone recognise this boy? There were two of them on mountain bikes. Any info, please PM me. Please keep showing my video.
‘You can see on the live[stream] at the end the culprit. Please give more love and kindness. It’s the only way to stop these things in the future. The world needs more love.’
Police are investigating the incident.
‘No arrests have been made in relation to this incident yet,’ said a Metropolitan Police spokesperson. ‘It is still under investigation.’
