The Metropolitan police commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, has called on Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to compel all phone manufacturers to make stolen devices 'unusable bricks.' This measure aims to reduce their resale value and deter theft.
Phone Theft in London
London is considered the phone-snatching capital of Europe, with 200 to 300 devices stolen daily. The city accounts for up to three-quarters of all mobile phone thefts in England and Wales.
Apple has introduced updates for iPhones with the latest operating system, adding safeguards against theft. Sensitive actions like viewing passwords, Apple Card details, or erasing the phone now require Face ID or Touch ID, making it harder for criminals to reset devices or change passwords for resale.
Data Sharing and Tracking
Rowley stated that the Met has begun sharing data with Apple to track whether stolen handsets are reconnected to a phone network. This collaboration helps police understand the fate of stolen phones and their destinations.
'If we share the data we have on the phone stolen with the data they have on reactivations and future uses, we can get a global picture of phones being stolen, whether they are reactivated, broken down for parts, or exported,' Rowley told the Press Association after an operation targeting two phone shops.
He added: 'A few months ago, most stolen phones were reactivated due to security flaws. Now, with improvements, only a minority are reactivated, making it harder for criminals to profit. This will further reduce crime.'
Legislative Request
The Met has written to the home secretary requesting legislation requiring phone companies to publish data on stolen devices and their reconnection status, and to enforce measures making stolen devices unusable.
Phones stolen in London are sold worldwide. A recent police operation uncovered a gang that sold 40,000 stolen phones to China, where they can fetch higher prices due to fewer government restrictions.
Rowley emphasized: 'For the first time, we are routinely sharing intelligence on stolen devices, building a joint picture of how these phones move and whether they reappear. If stolen phones cannot be reactivated, their value collapses, and so does the incentive to steal them.'
Reduction in Thefts
After criticism over phone theft, the Met has deployed e-bikes, drones, and live facial recognition to curb street thefts. A specialized control room livestreams drone footage to identify thieves on e-bikes.
These efforts have yielded results. Between June 2025 and May 2026, phone thefts and robberies fell by 14,000, an 18% reduction from the previous year. In the first five months of this year, there were 6,700 fewer thefts, a 20.6% drop.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has previously expressed frustration with phone companies, asking: 'Why can't they have a kill switch so a stolen phone can't be used? Why can't they stop someone accessing a cloud so a stolen phone is not reset and reused?'
