Three stabbed ‘after stepping in to try and stop phone thieves’
A group of 'have-a-go-heroes' tried to step in and stop the thieves who attacked them with knives before escaping.
Three ‘have a go heroes’ have been stabbed after trying to stop thieves stealing a phone in London, witnesses have said.
A gang of mobile phone muggers are said to have attacked a city worker close to his office, before passers by stepped in.
The two thieves, said to have been using electric bikes, snatched the phone before trying to make off.
Other shocked workers are believed to have intervened, before the balaclava clad thieves stabbed them before making a getaway.
Officers and emergency services rushed to the scene near Bishopsgate just before 10am today.
City of London Police confirmed three people had been stabbed, and one person was pushed to the floor.
A cordon, which is about 50 metres long, is being guarded by seven officers with City of London Police.
Inside the police tape, medical kits and clothing can be seen spread out on the ground in small piles.
The attack is said to have happened less than 200m from the City of London Police station, as pedestrians stepped in to help.
One man said he saw four people ‘badly injured’ as he passed through the Liverpool Street Station area on a bus.
Passers-by leapt into action to stop the theft outside the impressive 22 Bishopsgate sky scraper, which is the tallest building in the City of London.
Companies in the building include insurance firms Hiscox and Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Limited, as well as law firms such as Cooley LLP and Covington & Burling LLP.
A delivery driver who saw the attack told MyLondon: ‘The attackers tried to steal someone’s phone.
‘Then three pedestrians and one guy on a motorbike came to help and they got attacked. Police arrived in ten minutes.’
The three victims have been taken to hospital where they are currently being treated.
Nickie Aiken MP for City of London and Westminster Tweeted: ‘Concerned to learn of the incident in #Bishopsgate.
‘I’m in contact with @CityPolice for updates. My thoughts are with all those involved including the first responders.’
The incident also meant office workers were put into ‘lockdown’ and were unable to leave their buildings whilst police tried to hunt down the attackers.
City of London Police have said officers are at the scene and a cordon is currently in place.
Andrea Silva was on a bus when she saw the aftermath of the incident earlier this morning.
She told Metro.co.uk: ‘There was a fair amount of blood visible but the casualties were behind a white screen.
‘Lots of paramedics over someone on the floor.
‘That is all I saw.’
John Exell, who was also on a bus said on Twitter: ‘Just saw about four badly injured people on the side in the road by Bishopsgate going by on the bus.
‘Stay safe out there kids.’
City of London Police said: ‘We received reports of three stabbings and a person pushed to the floor on Bishopsgate at 9.46am and officers arrived at the scene at 9.51am.
‘Three victims were taken by LAS to a nearby hospital to be treated.
‘This is an ongoing situation, but is not being treated as terror-related.’
A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: ‘We were called at 9:52am today (6 October) to reports of a stabbing in Bishopsgate, central London.
‘We sent a number of resources including three ambulance crews, two advanced paramedics, two incident response officers, a clinical team manager and members of our Tactical Response Unit.
‘Our crews treated four patients. We have now taken three of these patients to hospital and one was assessed and discharged at the scene.’
