UK government pledges crackdown on phone theft after 150 per cent spike
An estimated 78,000 people had phones or bags snatched from them on British streets in the year leading to March 2024.
LONDON - The UK government has pledged to crack down on phone thefts after the number of incidents soared by more than 150 per cent last year, reported German news agency (dpa).
An estimated 78,000 people had phones or bags snatched from them on British streets in the year leading to March 2024, according to data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales.
This represented a 153 per cent rise when compared to the 31,000 incidents of "snatch thefts” in the same period to March 2023.
According to Home Office analysis of the data, there were more than 200 incidents every day across England and Wales in the last 12 months.
Just 0.8 per cent of "theft from the person” resulted in a charge, and 81.9 per cent of police investigations were closed before a suspect was found.
Police intelligence shows this is likely being driven by increased demand for second-hand smartphones, both in the UK and abroad.
In a bid to tackle this soaring criminal activity, the Home Office said it would call tech companies and manufacturers to a summit which would look at "the new innovations that could take on the illegal market”.
It is understood this would build on anti-theft smartphone features some firms have already rolled out.
The government is also expected to ask police chiefs to help tackle the issue, with Operation Opal - the national police intelligence unit - launching an intelligence probe to gather urgent information on the criminals who steal mobile phones, and where these devices end up.
This will provide a stronger picture of the stolen mobile phone market, and identify what more needs to be done to tackle the problem, the Home Office said. - BERNAMA-dpa
