Currys draws the line on phone theft with kerb campaign
By James Herring on Wednesday, August 6, 2025
Currys is trialling bold purple pavement markings on London’s Oxford Street in a new campaign to tackle rising phone theft.
Dubbed ‘Mind the Grab’, the initiative is backed by Westminster Council, the Met Police, and Crimestoppers, and aims to change pedestrian behaviour in high-risk areas.
The idea riffs on the familiar ‘Mind the Gap’ warning from the Underground, encouraging people to step back from the kerb and keep their phones out of sight — especially in hotspots for moped and e-bike snatch thefts.
In Westminster alone, over 34,000 phones were stolen last year.
Currys is also piloting in-store victim support at its Oxford Street branch, training staff to help people contact loved ones, cancel cards, and get home safely.
It’s part of a wider ambition to roll the campaign out across the UK in partnership with local authorities.
Ed Connolly, Chief Commercial Officer at Currys, said: “Phone theft isn’t just about losing a device — it’s frightening and invasive. Enough is enough. It’s time to draw the line.”
Campaign delivered by the Red Consultancy.
