Lost my new companion :(

Location : Pizza hut at Brent Cross shopping centre.

The place was very crowded and we managed to get into pizza hut after waiting 20 min in the queue. I just finished a phone call and kept my cell-phone on the table and the desserts arrived. We (me and my friend) were binging on the chocolate fudge cake and strawberry cake with ice cream..hmm yummy.
2 lads approach me for some change...i.e. begging....I was wondering how can someone beg inside the restaurant, and was trying to read the paper in his hand, thinking its some institution he belongs to and wants charity for, then saw the paper he had in hand was a shopping centre guide(at that time he very neatly sneaked the phone using his other hand, which i dint notice..I was totally confused) and was asking him what is it that he wants the money for...and then they just started walking away from me. Me was still confused, and I heard my friend saying, 'Did he take your phone?' I was like WHAT!! Without looking on the table I stopped the guy and said...you took my phone give it back...he was like what phone, I saw an innocent look on his face and thought I should double check before arriving at a conclusion so went to my table to check(stupid me!!!)..and my phone indeed was missing!! I was so confused, my friend ran behind the lad and caught him, meanwhile the 2nd lad handed over the phone to a third one and he walked out hurriedly, all 3 went in different directions, I went out to tell my friend that yes he took my phone, we ran behind and got hold of one of them, He started throwing tantrums, as if he dint understand the language, rolled on the floor, everybody in the mall was staring at us, but we rather my friend just dint let him go. the mall security guards were just not catching him, they were even more confused than me. Meanwhile 2 senior security guards came near us and caught hold of him, the little innocent face was crying loudly, the security guard very coolly said calm down and then the guards took him, I followed them and soon we were at the shopping centre police station. the other guards had managed to catch the 2nd lad too, but the 3rd one was absconding.
They were romanian gypsies and professional robbers. the police stationed there at that time dint have the powers to frisk them or arrest them so they just took custody of them. There were complains of another ladies purse missing and a couples cell phone missing, but those vicitms had not seen the robbers. The boys sat there coolly, least worried. I was right there in front of them, and couldnt do anything to them. It was such a helpless situation, I knew they took the phone, it is on cctv too, the police knew the same too, but nothing could be done coz they dint have powers. The police(who had powers to arrest) were called and they dint arrive for 3 hours (well they were on their way,but an emergency came up so they had to go there),After waiting for 3 hours of waiting for the police, we gave our contact details to the incharge there, the lads were still in their custody, sitting coolly without any worries, The security incharge told that the police would call us and come over to the address we specified, for a statement.
At night the police did call and said that they would come over tomorrow for a statement, and they took my cell phones IMEI no and said that he 'might' know where it is.

Although I have no hopes of getting back my cell phone I feel sad and am flabber gasted that such an innocent looking well dressed young boy (merely 8-10 years old)can fool me. You just cant relax anytime outside...somebody is watching you always, the moment you offguard, you lose your thing.

Lessons learnt
1. Always insure your cellphone
2. Dont trust anyone, not even kids especially with innocent face
3. Keep your belongings with you always
4. Dont keep your belongings just like that even in a restaurant.

I wonder, had the same thing happened in India, I think people in the restaurant would have caught him, if not that, police would have bashed the robbers, abused them and get things out of them immediately.
Here the police were also so helpless, he said we cant even hit them, they know that and hence get away with such things.

Its such a sad situation that despite of having all the freedom we have to be on our guard always, and I could'nt even finish my yummy yummy dessert :-(