Latest news with #mobiletheft
Telegraph
8 hours ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Apple tells Met to embrace ‘traditional policing' in clash over phone thefts
Apple has told the Metropolitan Police to focus on 'traditional policing' to tackle a surge in mobile phone thefts. Gary Davis, a senior executive at the iPhone-maker, said police were not fully investigating some phone thefts in Britain by seeking information about the stolen devices from Apple. In a hearing before MPs on the science, innovation and technology committee, Mr Davis was asked whether Apple should be doing more to build a technical solution to phone thefts. He replied: 'I would want to make sure that as part of all of that the Met Police continues to do traditional policing, which means sending requests to us for stolen devices and Apple responding to those requests for stolen devices. We are not seeing that.' It came after senior police officials urged tech companies to consider new technical ways of preventing theft. The Met wants mobile phone makers to use a unique number linked to a phone's modem chip – which connects to mobile networks – to identify phones that are reported stolen and block them. Police believe up to three quarters of stolen phones are moved abroad, with 28pc ending up in China or Hong Kong and many in Algeria. The Met recorded more than 80,000 phone thefts in 2024, up by a quarter on 2023 levels. Once overseas, these phones become more difficult to track. While UK networks can implement some blocking on the 'IMEI' chip numbers of stolen phones, this is more patchy internationally. Speaking on Tuesday, Darren Scates, the Met's chief digital officer, said one proposal that was being 'considered by Apple and Google' was to 'stop a smart phone serial number being allowed to connect to their services if it is reported as lost or stolen'. The police say this would make the device worthless. Mr Scates added that technology companies had provided methods to 'lock the device' remotely, but some criminals had means of cracking this. Technology chiefs have raised concerns over the risks of allowing more remote locking tools. Mr Davis said the industry was wary about whether such a system could become a 'vector for fraud', with people potentially being able to make false claims that phones have been stolen, leading to devices being automatically blocked. The hearing comes amid growing scrutiny over spiralling crime rates across the UK. The Met has warned that there are growing links between knife crime, child exploitation gangs, drugs and mobile phone theft, with some gangs 'pivoting' from selling illegal drugs to stealing handsets. Speaking to executives from Apple, Google and Samsung, Kit Malthouse, the senior Conservative MP, suggested that technology companies have been 'dragging their feet' on coming up with a technical solution. However, Mr Davis said attention also needed to be focussed on the police response to mobile phone theft, saying: 'We need the requests to come to us. We need to give them the responses. 'They need to use the information we provide to them in order to identify where the phones are being stolen, and I assume therefore target resources. I am not just seeing those resources coming through to us.' Apple said it had introduced a new Stolen Device Protection feature, which requires a Face ID check to access certain phone features, rather than just a code. It has also added technology that can remotely prevent stolen phone parts being stripped and re-used. Google, meanwhile, has added an artificial intelligence feature to its Android software that can detect if a phone has been snatched.
The Sun
10 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
More than 40 MILLION Brits alerted to switch on forgotten anti-theft mobile feature as phone snatching soars
MILLIONS of mobile users across the UK have been urged to switch on little-known anti-theft settings following a spate of phone snatches. In London alone, two-thirds of thefts now relate to mobile phones, Met Detective Chief Superintendent James Conway told MPs today. 2 Police seized more than 1,000 stolen handsets and arrested 230 people in a single week earlier this year in a crackdown on the problem. The Met Police has described it as a colossal £50million-a-year trade. Often, phone thefts have more to do with raiding people's bank accounts than value in the handset itself. A victim recently revealed how they were caught out by crafty crooks who went on to spend hundreds. Tech companies have developed a number of tools to help prevent such incidents. Google has a few for Android users which detect the motion associated with a physical snatch. When a snatch is detected your phone will lock so thieves can't go through all your banking apps and more. Samsung, which uses Android on its phones, alerted more than 40million Samsung Account holders of its anti-theft features. The firm says these features will now also be available to even more devices soon, having started with the launch of the Galaxy S25 series in February. Among Samsung's own added efforts is Theft Protection, a multi-layered suite of features developed to safeguard personal data, even in high-risk situations such as robbery. Google reveals clever trick to prevent thieves from emptying your accounts on the Android 15 "Samsung is deeply committed to working closely with the Home Office on the issue of mobile phone theft and related crimes and we're in constant collaboration with our partners across the industry, to look at new and existing solutions to help combat this complex issue and ultimately help improve the safety of mobile phone users," said Annika Bizon, Mobile Experience (MX) VP of Product and Marketing, UK&I at Samsung. "Our recent One UI 7 update built further on existing protections with new anti-theft features such as identity check, biometric authentication and security delay, all featured in our latest Galaxy S25 series. "These features have now also been rolled out into a range of models across our devices and further updates will follow. "We must do everything we can to ensure the safety and security of our customers when they are using their mobile devices and we will continue to work hard to ensure our customers are aware of the wide range of security features available to them." How to turn on Theft Detection Lock To turn on Theft Detection Lock on a Samsung phone, follow these steps: Go to Settings Select Security and privacy Tap Lost device protection Go to Theft protection Switch the Theft detection option on 2
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Phone snatchers' e-scooters to be CRUSHED within hours of seizure amid police crackdown on London's mobile theft epidemic
E-scooters and e-bikes driven by brazen phone snatchers are to be destroyed by police within hours of being seized amid a crackdown on London 's mobile theft epidemic. Previously officers had to warn offenders before taking away and crushing a bike, scooter or any other vehicle driven in an anti-social manner or if it was used to facilitate a theft. But now, new powers will mean police won't have to wait two weeks before throwing them away and will be able to do so in a two-day time frame. Ministers argued that the current two-week deadline made it less challenging for offenders to re-obtain their vehicles, meaning little discouragement against repeat offending. And while e-bikes and scooters have increasingly annoyed pedestrians, they too are being more frequently used to snatch mobile phones out of the hands of unassuming walkers. According to Metropolitan Police figures, 66,528 phones were stolen in the capital in the year leading up to September 2024, Over the same period in Westminster, 22,253 thefts were reported equating to 85.4 incidents per every 1,000 people. Dame Diana Johnson, the policing minister, told the Telegraph: 'Anti-social and reckless driving brings misery to communities across the country, from dangerous street racing to off-road bikes tearing through local parks. 'By enabling police to seize and dispose of these vehicles within just 48 hours, we're giving our officers the tools they need to deliver immediate results and providing communities the swift justice they deserve. 'As part of our Plan for Change, these new powers send a clear message that anti-social behaviour, whatever form it takes, will not be tolerated in our local communities.' The Government are also looking to hike up fines for seizing, towing and crushing vehicles, as a previous consultation found fees were last increased nearly two decades ago in 2008. It comes as Scotland Yard has decided to fight back against London's mobile theft epidemic by using invisible DNA. Officers hope that marking e-bikes, an increasingly popular mode of getaway for marauding robbers, will allow them to track, catch and prosecute suspects. They are also spraying riders' clothes and skin with the invisible dye, which contains a unique DNA code only seen under UV light. The substance, known as SelectaDNA, sticks on a target for several months allowing police to link them to a specific theft via the special code. The innovative method is being introduced in various hotspots around the country including London, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and Scotland. Inspector Dan Jones, who leads the Watford neighbourhood policing team in Hertfordshire, said: 'It's another tool in our box of tactics to make it increasingly difficult for criminals to operate. 'The spray will enable us to identify those responsible without the need to engage in risky high-speed pursuits. 'We want this to serve as a warning to those involved – expect a knock on the door, because we will catch up with you.' The spray is also being trialled in Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland and Sergeant Callum Dalgleish-Little said: 'We know that antisocial behaviour particularly in residential areas, public parks, and cycle paths, is concerning for local communities. 'This spray will help officers have another tool at their disposal to detect and deter such criminality. 'The spray is deployed by trained officers and can be used on bikes we believe to be stolen or ridden illegally.' It comes as London has been hit with a phone snatching epidemic, with the issue reaching crisis point as victims as young as four being targeted. Discussing the problem, Paul, who works by the London Eye, previously told MailOnline: 'I see it all the time. I would say every day. It's worst around this touristy part of London - particularly along Westminster Bridge. 'It happens to tourists a lot because they're unaware. I try to warn them but it doesn't always work. 'One time, a family asked someone to take a photo of them in front of the London Eye. And the guy they chose ran off with their phone. 'Usually though, they come past on their bikes and snatch the phone before anyone has a chance to react. It's a real issue.' The 51-year-old said he sees the same culprits at work repeatedly, adding: 'There are groups of them who are here all the time,' Paul said. 'The police know about them. 'I've had them trying to steal my phone too. Even though they know that I know who they are. It's bold.' Ovye, who works for a bus tour company, said the thieves target 'anyone' - and that even children aren't off limits. He said: 'It can happen to anyone. I once saw someone snatch a phone out of a little girl's hand while she was taking a picture. She can't have been more than four years old. Unbelievable.' Met Police commander, Owain Richards, told MailOnline: 'We understand the impact that mobile phone theft can have on victims – it's an invasive and sometimes violent crime - and we're committed to protecting Londoners and tackling this issue as we make the capital safer. 'Met officers are targeting resources to hotspot areas, such as Westminster, Lambeth and Newham, with increased patrols and plain clothes officers which deter criminals and make officers more visibly available to members of the community. 'We continue to use data and technology to build intelligence and track stolen items to target offenders. We are also working with phone firms to 'design out' the ability for phones to be reused and sold on as we seek to dismantle the criminal market that fuels robbery and theft. 'We encourage people to report as soon as they can whenever they have been a victim of mobile phone theft, so officers can investigate swiftly.'
The National
15-05-2025
- The National
Police footage shows London mobile phone thief being caught in 60 seconds
A mobile phone thief was arrested by undercover police less than a minute after snatching a device from a victim near London Bridge. London's Met Police released video of the moment the hooded thief was pounced on by officers, who were then able to return the phone to its owner. Mobile phone theft in London has reached what has been described as 'epidemic' levels, prompting the Met Police to step up undercover operations in worst-affected areas of the city. The incident happened near London Bridge and the Shard skyscraper, where the phone was ripped from the victim's hand. Footage shows an unmarked police car driving along Tooley Street as the suspect flees round a corner. The black car pursues the unsuspecting thief, who then meets up with an accomplice and they slow down to walking pace, believing they have got away with the theft. The police car catches up with the pair and officers leap out. An officer catches the thief and throws him to the ground before putting him in handcuffs. 'You're under arrest on suspicion of committing theft,' the officer tells him. The police force's data shows that in the year to April 75,105 mobile phones were stolen across London, an increase of 13 per cent on the previous year. An analysis of data by The National revealed phone thefts have surged in upmarket parts of central London and areas popular with tourists. 'These days, it seems everyone knows someone who's suffered phone theft, or suffered it themselves. It's an epidemic,' Neil Garratt, leader of the Conservatives in the London Assembly, previously told The National. 'Yet when I pressed the mayor [Sadiq Khan] on what he is doing to get a grip, all he could do is blame phone manufacturers for not making the phones worthless if snatched. When the person responsible for fighting crime in our capital is more interested in blaming others than taking action, you know he's not even trying.' In February, 1,000 stolen mobile phones were seized from robbers in London in one week as part of a crackdown on 'industrial-scale' thefts that have blighted the capital. The Met Police said the seizures followed operations against criminals by plainclothes officers in hotspot areas such as the West End and Westminster, which are popular with tourists but where nearly 40 per cent of London phone thefts occur. Many are carried out by criminals on bikes snatching phones as unsuspecting victims leave buildings or walk down the street.
The Independent
13-05-2025
- The Independent
Phone thief caught in under 60 seconds by undercover police
Police caught a mobile phone thief in under a minute after he snatched a device in central London. The Metropolitan Police released footage of the pursuit, which occurred near London Bridge, on social media on Tuesday (13 May). It shows the thief snatching the phone near Hays Galleria as an unmarked police vehicle drives on the road. An officer inside the car spots the theft, turning the vehicle around swiftly and jumping out to arrest the man. The owner got their phone back, police said.
