The Metropolitan Police have intensified their crackdown on phone theft in London, recovering 1,000 stolen mobiles and arresting 230 suspects in just one week.
Targeting key theft hotspots such as the West End and Westminster—where nearly 40% of these crimes occur—the operation forms part of a wider effort to dismantle the £50 million-a-year illicit trade in stolen devices.
Authorities say stolen smartphones are frequently resold both in the UK and abroad, fueling organised crime networks.
In response, the Met has ramped up patrols and enforcement, particularly in high-risk areas. In Westminster alone, officers made 17 arrests for robbery and theft, following 42 stop-and-search operations.
Meanwhile, in Hackney and Haringey, 15 suspects were detained, including a 15-year-old found with a large knife and £1,000 in cash while riding an illegal electric bike.
The operation also led to the arrest of two e-bike thieves, who have since been sentenced to a combined five years in prison for phone-related crimes.
Additionally, police executed a warrant at a second-hand phone shop suspected of handling stolen devices.
Commander Owain Richards, who is leading the Met’s anti-theft response, highlighted the scale of the issue, ” We are seeing phone thefts on an industrial scale, fuelled by criminals making millions by being able to easily sell on stolen devices either here or abroad.
“By intensifying our efforts we’re catching more perpetrators and protecting people from having their phone stolen in the capital.
“But we need help from partners and industry to do more.
“That is why we’re working with other agencies and government to tackle the organised criminality driving this trade and calling on tech companies to make stolen phones unusable.”
The crackdown comes as Home Secretary James Cleverly prepares to chair a summit with law enforcement agencies, focusing on tackling smartphone thefts.
Officials are urging tech firms to introduce tougher security measures to prevent stolen phones from being resold.
Despite the ongoing challenge, London’s Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Kaya Comer-Schwartz, reported positive progress, noting that personal robbery incidents have dropped by 13% compared to the same period last year.
