POLICE have issued a warning to Lancaster people to keep a close eye on their handsets after a spate of thefts.
Two youths of Asian or Middle Eastern appearance struck four times over the weekend, each time approaching their victims in cafes or bars and indicating they could not speak English.
They then put a map down over the top of the victim's phones - but when they picked the map up, the phones had gone.
"We have to make the public aware that this type of distraction theft is currently going on," says a police spokesman.
"It isn't common but it does happen and people need to be aware of what is happening and keep a close eye on their phones when they are out."
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