MOBILE phone owners are being warned to keep on their guard after two people had their handsets snatched as they walked down the street making calls.

The incidents happened within yards of each other in Darlington town centre, and it is thought the same teenage thief could be responsible for both robberies.

However, Darlington police have warned that there has been a general increase in mobile phone thefts from cars and pubs, too.

The first phone snatch happened in Duke Street on Wednesday afternoon, while a 17-year-old girl was making a call.

She was approached by a youth she believed to be slightly younger than herself, who asked to look at her phone.

Catching his victim off guard, the youth snatched the handset and ran off down Larchfield Street, in the direction of Bondgate.

The youth was said to be 5ft 4in, with light hair. He wore light clothing.

The second victim had walked along Duke Street and crossed the roundabout, into Abbey Road, at about 3.45pm on Thursday, and was close to the scene of the previous day's theft, when the phone thief struck.

As he walked along, making a call, the youth ran up behind him, snatched the Nokia phone from the caller's hand and ran off down an alleyway at the back of Vane Terrace, on the playing fields side of the road.

The attacker was described as male, white, aged 16 or 17, about 5ft 3in, with short, light hair and wearing a wind-cheater jacket.

PC David Atkinson, of Darlington police, said: "There is a slight resemblance in both descriptions."

He warned: "Mobile phones have become a sought-after item and they seem to be going through whatever means, whether it be stolen from cars or people in licensed premises just leaving them on a table or a bar area, and they are easy to take.

"Now we have got them being snatched out of people's hands. It takes the victim by surprise and by the time they gather their thought they are away."

Anyone who has any information about these thefts or similar incidents is asked to call police on (01325) 467681, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.