A woman has regained her phone, which was stolen and buried in a park in South London, indicating a rising number of thefts.
Agiymaa Oyuungerel was able to recover her Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, which was stolen by a man on a bicycle at Surrey Quays railway station. The source of this story is MyLondon, a news site owned by Reach plc, which also publishes the Daily Mirror and covers events in London.
Returning to the London park, Agiymaa highlights the growing problem of thefts as thieves bury their trophies in flower beds. She did not expect to see her Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra again after a man on a bicycle snatched it from her hands on Saturday (December 20).
However, the 35-year-old woman was able to track her phone, as well as four other devices hidden under a tree in Pepys Park in Lewisham, using the Google Find My Device feature.
This discovery comes amid reports that thieves are hiding stolen phones in the ground at the Phoenix Garden, located in the heart of the West End, waiting for the risk of being caught to decrease. It is believed that criminals resort to this method to avoid being apprehended with large batches of stolen devices, waiting for police efforts to diminish.
According to reports, later thieves return for their loot and then dispose of the stolen devices abroad. There are concerns that Agiymaa's phone theft near Surrey Quays may indicate the expansion of this tactic beyond the West End, where it was first noticed.
Agiymaa, who works as a journalist, content creator, and translator, noted: “I don’t understand how the thief could make such a stupid mistake. Maybe he lacks experience. I just can’t believe my luck.”
Having come from Mongolia to London to visit her husband, she was heading to a second-hand sale when her phone was stolen. She tried to chase the thief, but he quickly rode away on his bicycle.
After a tense search, workers at the local pawn shop HNT Pawnbrokers informed her that someone else had just had their phone stolen in the same way.
Two hours later, using the Google Find My Device service, she rushed to the park, where she sifted through leaves and branches and found her phone, along with four other devices buried under a tree.
Agiymaa recounted: “I got down on all fours and started digging in the dirt, leaves, and branches. Something hard touched my hand, and I found my phone and four other phones. All of them were iPhones except for mine.”
“In the meantime, I called the police, informing them that I reported the theft two hours ago and offered them the phones. I took them to the station myself, but I was also afraid of becoming a target for thieves.”
“I don’t feel safe since the thief is still at large, and he could be in this area. I don’t want to go out alone.”
She added: “I hope the police will do their job and people will get their phones back.”
Tatar S.Maidar
source: MiddleAsianNews
