App helps police track down smartphones stolen from Bankside pubs

"Two Algerian men were arrested recently," Inspector Richard Barton told Borough, Bankside & Walworth Community Council last Saturday.

"One was involved in a number of thefts from pubs on the riverfront where they were stealing iPads and iPhones which had been left unattended by [customers] at those pubs."

Inspector Barton explained how the police had worked with one theft victim to use Apple's 'Find My iPhone' and 'Find My iPad' services to trace the stolen devices.

"The owner used 'Find My iPad' and they went all the way up to St John's Wood and found two Algerian men at the back of a bus," he said.

"They both had bags full of various iPads and iPhones and whatever."

He urged people to take greater care of their smartphones and tablet computers and not to leave them unattended even for a moment.

Inspector Barton also said that his officers were carrying out extra patrols in Cathedrals ward to deal with a spate of burglaries from offices.

"If there's anybody who works with Apple Macs round here, can you please adopt a clean desk policy ... and lock Apple Macs away," he said.

"We're getting office burglaries where Apple Macs are being stolen. They are obviously flavour of the month."

"Can you please take that away and tell your friends and colleagues?"