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| Met Police launches crackdown on mobile phone thefts | |
| (4 days later) | |
| The Met Police said it seized more than 1,000 handsets in the crackdown | The Met Police said it seized more than 1,000 handsets in the crackdown |
| A clampdown on the "industrial-scale" crime of mobile phone-snatching across London has resulted in 230 people being arrested by the Metropolitan Police in the past week. | A clampdown on the "industrial-scale" crime of mobile phone-snatching across London has resulted in 230 people being arrested by the Metropolitan Police in the past week. |
| In its battle against the "scourge of mobile phone crime", the force said it had also seized more than 1,000 handsets. | In its battle against the "scourge of mobile phone crime", the force said it had also seized more than 1,000 handsets. |
| The Met has deployed plain-clothed officers in "hotspot" areas, including the West End and Westminster, and is also using tracking technology to recover phones and catch criminals. | The Met has deployed plain-clothed officers in "hotspot" areas, including the West End and Westminster, and is also using tracking technology to recover phones and catch criminals. |
| It said its work had been "ramped up" to deal with the £50m-a-year trade in stolen phones across the capital, with those responsible for thefts, handling, and onward criminal supply all being targeted. | It said its work had been "ramped up" to deal with the £50m-a-year trade in stolen phones across the capital, with those responsible for thefts, handling, and onward criminal supply all being targeted. |
| The Met says there is a £50m-a-year trade in stolen phones in London | The Met says there is a £50m-a-year trade in stolen phones in London |
| It came as police and tech companies pledged to work closer together to tackle smartphone theft. | It came as police and tech companies pledged to work closer together to tackle smartphone theft. |
| During a summit on Thursday, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper urged tech companies including Apple, Samsung and Google to join forces with police to improve anti-theft measures and make smartphones effectively worthless to criminals. | During a summit on Thursday, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper urged tech companies including Apple, Samsung and Google to join forces with police to improve anti-theft measures and make smartphones effectively worthless to criminals. |
| A recent victim, Richard, told the BBC that the theft of his phone had left him feeling "uncomfortably nervous". | A recent victim, Richard, told the BBC that the theft of his phone had left him feeling "uncomfortably nervous". |
| Richard said he was walking along Highbury Fields in north London when someone dressed "entirely in black" who was riding an e-bike snatched his phone from his hand. | Richard said he was walking along Highbury Fields in north London when someone dressed "entirely in black" who was riding an e-bike snatched his phone from his hand. |
| He said: "It's frustrating because that's exactly where this sort of thing typically happens. I'm always telling people to be careful, but for one moment I forgot and my phone went off into the distance." | He said: "It's frustrating because that's exactly where this sort of thing typically happens. I'm always telling people to be careful, but for one moment I forgot and my phone went off into the distance." |
| He said he was initially angry, but his thoughts soon turned to worries about his banking details being obtained by the thief - although this did not happen. | He said he was initially angry, but his thoughts soon turned to worries about his banking details being obtained by the thief - although this did not happen. |
| Richard's phone was snatched from his hand while he was walking through Highbury Fields | Richard's phone was snatched from his hand while he was walking through Highbury Fields |
| Richard said he was surprised by the police response to his phone being stolen. | Richard said he was surprised by the police response to his phone being stolen. |
| He explained how officers visited him at home, and by using a tracker they could see his device had been taken to a phone repair shop, where Richard said the police explained there had been previous criminal activity. | He explained how officers visited him at home, and by using a tracker they could see his device had been taken to a phone repair shop, where Richard said the police explained there had been previous criminal activity. |
| Despite this, the phone could not be recovered. | Despite this, the phone could not be recovered. |
| The way police responded to this crime is markedly different from what other Londoners say they have experienced, even recently. | The way police responded to this crime is markedly different from what other Londoners say they have experienced, even recently. |
| In December, a designer from Tottenham told the BBC how she had felt unsupported by police after her phone was stolen, and ended up using tracking technology to trace it herself. | In December, a designer from Tottenham told the BBC how she had felt unsupported by police after her phone was stolen, and ended up using tracking technology to trace it herself. |
| Izzy Du located the phone hidden in a hedge, along with six other handsets. | Izzy Du located the phone hidden in a hedge, along with six other handsets. |
| Police say by intensifying their efforts they expect to catch more phone-snatchers and "protect more people" | Police say by intensifying their efforts they expect to catch more phone-snatchers and "protect more people" |
| The Met's Cdr Owain Richards said: "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. | The Met's Cdr Owain Richards said: "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." | "By intensifying our efforts we're catching more perpetrators and protecting people from having their phone stolen in the capital." |
| He added that there were calls for other agencies and the government to do more, and for tech companies to make stolen phones unusable. | He added that there were calls for other agencies and the government to do more, and for tech companies to make stolen phones unusable. |
| The force wants the phone industry to prevent stolen handsets from being reconnected to cloud services. | The force wants the phone industry to prevent stolen handsets from being reconnected to cloud services. |
| The Met said it had used tracking technology, and victims reporting phone-thefts, to recently prosecute four members of a gang who were later sentenced to a combined 18 years in prison. | The Met said it had used tracking technology, and victims reporting phone-thefts, to recently prosecute four members of a gang who were later sentenced to a combined 18 years in prison. |
| The gang had been caught handling more than 5,000 stolen phones. | The gang had been caught handling more than 5,000 stolen phones. |
| Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said the Met was "spearheading targeted work to prevent and tackle mobile phone theft in London", adding: "I'm determined to eliminate the scourge of mobile phone theft in our city for good." | Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said the Met was "spearheading targeted work to prevent and tackle mobile phone theft in London", adding: "I'm determined to eliminate the scourge of mobile phone theft in our city for good." |
| Advice from police: | Advice from police: |
| Register all phones with immobilise.com, a national property register | |
| Set up a strong password and two-factor authentication | Set up a strong password and two-factor authentication |
| Turn off message previews so thieves cannot see any messages | Turn off message previews so thieves cannot see any messages |
| Write down and safely store the phone's IMEI number | Write down and safely store the phone's IMEI number |
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