Fightback as London Becomes the Phone Theft Capital of Europe
London faces a surge in phone thefts, prompting calls for action as victims share their alarming experiences
London, UK, Phone Theft, Crime Epidemic, Police Response
London: Kirsty Haywood’s iPhone 11 was stolen at 11:30 PM on July 10. She was outside Waterloo station, just sending a text when a hooded figure snatched it from her hand. “I barely had time to react,” she recalls. “All I saw was him running away.”
Understandably, she was shaken. “I’m small, and he was a man. You never know if they’re armed,” she said. After a friend helped her get home to Sheen and cancel her cards, she discovered the thief had reset her Apple ID and disabled Find My Phone. “It was terrifying to think they could access my work emails,” she added.
Despite reporting the theft, Kirsty felt let down by the police. “I got a crime reference number, but that was it. It’s like a rite of passage for Londoners now,” she said. If you live in London, chances are you or someone you know has had their phone stolen this year. Phones are snatched every six minutes, totaling around 64,000 a year, and the government is finally taking notice of this alarming trend.
Many victims feel the police aren’t doing enough. Over half of these thefts are dismissed without further investigation by the Metropolitan Police. Journalist Ant Noonan, who was punched for his phone last year, echoed this sentiment. “I think phone snatching isn’t a priority for them,” he said.
But is that true? The London Standard rode along with City of London Police, who say mobile phone theft is a priority. They recently caught a prolific thief, Sonny Stringer, who had stolen 24 phones in just over an hour. Taking down one criminal can prevent many thefts, as organized gangs often sell stolen phones for quick cash.
While on patrol, officers are also targeting drug suppliers and other serious crimes. They’ve made 40 arrests and seized drugs and weapons since launching their operation. “The message is clear: Don’t come to the City of London,” said Acting Inspector James Shelton.
However, if your phone is stolen outside the Square Mile, you might not get the same attention. Victims like Kirsty and Ant may never see justice. The Metropolitan Police are increasing patrols in busy areas during the holiday season, but they also need phone companies to help make it harder for thieves to resell stolen devices.
Commander Owain Richards emphasized the impact of these crimes on Londoners and the need for collaboration with phone companies to tackle the issue effectively.