Biggest ever police crackdown on London phone theft sees 700 arrested
Police have arrested hundreds in their biggest-ever mobile phone theft operation in London as new figures show the number of snatches is at a four-year low. The operation saw Met Police officers pursue suspects in high-speed chases to reunite victims with their phones and search second-hand phone shops suspected of handling stolen devices. The force says it has arrested more than 700 people as…
In what officials call their largest crackdown on phone theft in London, Metropolitan Police officers have arrested over 700 individuals as part of Operation Reckoning. This operation, which took place in September, saw officers pursue suspects in high-speed chases, locate victims with their stolen phones, and search second-hand phone shops believed to be handling stolen devices.
The Metropolitan Police have seized hundreds of suspected stolen mobile phones during this operation, which also led to arrests on suspicion of robbery and handling stolen goods. Officers seized drugs, knives, firearms, tens of thousands of pounds in cash, and over 110 illegal e-bikes. The Met's lead for tackling phone theft, Commander Andy Featherstone, stated that the arrest figures reflect the force's relentless campaign to crack down on these criminals.
The operation targeted every stage of the organized criminal chain, including street thieves, handlers, and exporters. The Met has also released CCTV and body-cam footage showing a suspected phone thief who attempted to evade arrest by jumping into a pond and discarding multiple phones. In addition to the arrests, the Met visited 220 second-hand phone shops across London to gather intelligence and build positive relationships with legitimate businesses.
The successful operation comes as phone theft rates in London have fallen to their lowest August level since 2022, with 3,963 offences recorded in August 2024 compared to 3,311 offences in August 2022. This decrease can be attributed to the Met's improved phone security measures and the sharing of intelligence with Apple on stolen devices.
Written by urgent.news from The National UAE's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
