Common Tourist Scams in Notting Hill, London (and How to Avoid Them)

By The Kakapo Editorial Team · Last updated 2026-05-29 · Part of the Notting Hill, London safety guide

Phone-snatch moped crime — the London-wide pattern

• The pattern: riders on small mopeds (often stolen) snatch phones from pedestrians using them on the pavement. Notting Hill Gate, Westbourne Grove and the Bayswater Road borders are documented hotspots.
• The defence: don't use a phone visibly on the pavement near the kerb; if needed, step into a doorway or against the building wall; headphones in are a high-risk signal (you don't hear the moped coming).
• The Met response: Operation Venice has targeted moped crime since 2018; phone-snatch arrests rose substantially through 2024-25 with the introduction of moped-tracking and DNA-spray countermeasures.
• Recovery rates: phones are almost never recovered — they're stripped and exported within hours. Use Find My / Find My Device and treat the loss as final.
• Insurance: most travel insurance covers phone theft if you file a police report (101 non-emergency line, or online via Met Police website).

Live Notting Hill, London safety score (updates daily) →

Sources

• Metropolitan Police — crime data
• Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
• Transport for London
• UK FCDO — UK travel advice