8 hours ago
London mobile phone thefts hit a record high
Every day 37 people on average are having their phones stolen in the West End as London's mobile theft epidemic soars to record levels.
Metropolitan Police data reveals that almost 231,000 phone thefts and robberies were recorded over the past four years in the capital, representing a three-fold increase in such offences. The epicentre is the West End, a magnet for tourists, where almost 40,000 phones were reported stolen over the same period.
Another crime hotspot is adjacent to St James's, where Piccadilly and Haymarket borders Pall Mall, Clarence House, its namesake palace and exclusive members' clubs. A third of all reported London thefts were in the West End and St James's compared with a quarter in 2021, according to a Times analysis.
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A record 81,256 mobile crimes were reported last year in London after a 20 per cent surge in recorded offences in 12 months, Scotland Yard figures show. The true figure is probably higher due to many crimes going unreported. Other hotspots were Bloomsbury, Holborn, Covent Garden, Shoreditch, Borough, London Bridge, Waterloo, South Bank, Camden Town, Regent's Park and Stratford.
Rising levels of phone thefts have been reported in 217 London suburbs, or more than a third of the capital, since 2022. Most thefts occur in London, where gangs, often on electric bikes, grab devices out of unsuspecting pedestrian hands or pickpocket victims. Police say the crisis has escalated because organised gangs are selling stolen mobiles on the overseas black market or they are being stripped for parts, a crimewave worth more than £50 million a year.
Officers urge people to keep to busy, well-lit streets or paths that CCTV is more likely to cover, and to keep valuables hidden in public.
The Met was contacted for comment. A National Police Chiefs' Council spokeswoman said forces were 'committed to tackling personal robbery which can have a devastating impact on victims'.
'In some cases, there may not be enough information for police to act upon or bring about criminal proceedings,' she said. 'For these types of offences, police focus on targeting prolific offenders, organised crime networks and ensuring effective prevention measures are in place. We understand the disappointment felt by victims who do not get a quality service by the police or the outcomes they would want through the criminal justice system.'
Apple and Google have various anti-theft initiatives to remote wipe and lock, find devices or require other identity checks to 'disrupt and discourage criminals from stealing phones'.
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Apple said: 'We have been working on this issue from a hardware, software and customer support standpoint for more than the last decade.'
This month Apple told MPs it was 'considering' how to prevent stolen devices working through its International Mobile Equipment Identity number.
Google added: 'For years Android has invested in advanced theft protection features … to help prevent theft and block stolen devices.'
Samsung said: 'We're in constant collaboration … to look at new and existing solutions to help combat this complex issue and ultimately help improve the safety of mobile phone users.'
