A woman in labour had her phone snatched as she called her husband to take her to hospital.
The woman escaped without injury after she was targeted by a thief riding a bicycle in Stoke Newington.
She is believed to have been phoning her husband to take her to hospital when the thief struck in Leadale Road just after 10am today.
Pinchas Paksher, a volunteer for Jewish neighbourhood watch group Shomrim, was first on the scene to help the woman.
He said: "I arrived on scene moments after the phone snatch, I asked one of the neighbours to bring out a chair and a cup of water as the victim appeared to be trembling from shock.
"The thief was heartless, targeting the most vulnerable in society, the victim was on the phone seeking help to arrange transport to hospital when her phone was snatched. I urge anyone with information to call police or Crimestoppers."
The woman was subsequently taken to hospital by the Hatzola volunteer ambulance service.
A spokesman for the Met said: "Police were called to reports of a pregnant woman having had her mobile phone snatched on Leadale Road, N16.
"Officers attended. The victim appeared physically uninjured, however, due to her condition she was taken to hospital by a private ambulance.
"Enquires into the theft of her phone are underway."
Nobody has been arrested in connection with the incident.
Witnesses or anyone with any information can call police via 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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