Subar Ahmed was jailed for 33 months
A masked thief targeted commuters throughout the city centre in a four-day spree. Subar Ahmed and another would cycle up behind their unsuspecting victims before swiping their phone from their hands.
One man felt a bike go into the back of his legs before his phone was taken, and a woman felt her fingers bend back as Ahmed, 28, pulled the device from her grasp.
Another victim had over £1,300 stolen from her bank account after her phone was taken.
In a statement, one victim who chose to move to Manchester from New Zealand as she believed it was safe, said: “My entire life was on that phone.”
Ahmed, of Withington, pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery, two counts of theft from person, three counts of fraud by false representation and possession of Class A and B drugs. He was jailed at Manchester Crown Court on Thursday, April 3.
He ‘preyed’ on citizens
Craig MacGregor, prosecuting, said Ahmed preyed on ‘law-abiding citizens going about their normal everyday business’.
The first theft took place on February 8 this year at around 8.40am whilst a woman was walking to work along Upper Brook Street. She was changing a song on her phone whilst waiting at a set of traffic lights when Ahmed and another cycled past and took her iPhone 15.
She said: “I recently moved to Manchester from New Zealand, where I specifically chose a safe place to live. I now feel anxious walking to work.”
Earlier that day, at 7.50am, a man walked down Plymouth Grove when the two men came up behind him on their bikes.
“He felt something hit him on his back and the back of his legs and his phone was snatched from his hand,” said Mr MacGregor. Fortunately, Ahmed dropped the phone and the man was able to get it back. The man has since changed his route to work.
On February 5, just before 5pm, another man had his phone stolen from his hand outside the Marriott Hotel near to Manchester Piccadilly station. He was left feeling ‘upset and angry’ as the phone had been a Christmas present from his parents.
The next day at around 11.45am, a woman was walking along Princes Parkway when Ahmed swiped her phone from her hand. As they cycled off, she shouted: “Give me my phone back please!”
The prosecutor continued: “On her phone were three fraudulent transactions using her Apple Pay. One was from Chorlton Mobile, for £1,329, for a new phone. Another was for £10 from a shop and a later one was for £17.94 from BD Diner.”
In her statement, the woman said she was worried and scared as her passport was on her phone, as well as other personal information.
Ahmed was arrested on February 12 after officers stopped a car believed to be on false plates. They found a snapbag of cocaine and a snapbag of cannabis on him.
“The prosecution say these were planned offences. They were hiding up side streets, following them and there was a use of force,” said Mr MacGregor. “He preys on people weaker than him or when he is in a group.”
Amy Weir, defending Ahmed, who had 43 offences on his criminal record, wanted to turn his life around after getting into a ‘cycle’ of crime. She said he was sofa-surfing at the time and had just been released from prison. “He is motivated to get his life back on track,” she said.
Ahmed, of Huntington Avenue, Withington, was jailed for 33 months. He will serve 40pc of the term before being released on licence. He is also banned from being within areas of the city centre, along with other conditions, under the terms of a criminal behaviour order, for five years.