The ‘steaming’ flashmobs fuelling UK phone theft epidemic: How robbery gangs are ransacking stores to grab as many devices as possible before stolen handsets are sent to Africa or sold to second-hand phone shops [Video]

Britain’s phone theft epidemic is being fuelled by ‘steaming’ flashmobs bombarding their way into stores and ransacking as many devices as possible in brazen 20-second heists.

Gathering in their masses, these masked gangs are bursting past helpless security guards and shoppers as they sweep up any device they can get their hands on.

Dressed in black balaclavas and tracksuits, the youths lie in wait before pouncing as a mob, fleeing with dozens of phones stuffed in their pockets less than 20 seconds later.

Leading cybersecurity experts have told MailOnline that ‘steaming’ flashmobs show how criminals are ‘evolving’, with police already battling marauding e-bike gangs which snatch devices from their victims.

Crime bosses usually reward these young footsoldiers with cash once they deliver the phones to ‘handlers’. 

Police are homing in on two types of handler: those that stockpile devices at homes before they are shipped abroad; and dodgy second-hand phone shops which might unlock and resell stolen handsets …