Police 'stalk' potential victims

Undercover police are secretly following commuters who look like potential mugging victims to ensure they reach their destinations safely, a senior Scotland Yard officer revealed today.

Police are trying to "watch over" those they think are vulnerable in London's street robbery hotspots. The "guardian angel" initiative involves detectives trailing a member of the public to their home, car, taxi or bus stop.

If a robber looks like he is about to strike, officers are in position to make an arrest or carry out a stop and search. Plainclothes officers, using mobile phones and carrying laptops, are also being used as decoys to trap muggers.

The operation, codenamed Newcastle, is being piloted in notorious areas near Whitechapel and Mile End Tube stations, the Royal London Hospital and Bethnal Green Road.

Superintendent Dominic Clout said: "We are trying to spot vulnerable victims, who may be using mobiles or carrying computers, and walk into back streets and make themselves easy targets. We will personally monitor and follow people for a while but so far we haven't caught any muggers in this way."

Street robberies in London soared to record levels last month as police were put on terrorist alert.