The rise in smartphone thefts in Britain has become a significant concern, with over 200 devices snatched daily between March 2023 and March 2024, driven by increased demand for second-hand phones. According to the Crime Survey for England and Wales, 78,000 people experienced theft of phones or bags during this period—a surge of over 150% compared to the 31,000 snatch thefts reported the previous year.
Alarmingly, the majority of these cases remain unsolved, as four out of five police investigations were closed before identifying a suspect. Only 0.8% of ‘theft from the person’ cases led to a charge, highlighting the challenges in tackling this crime.
In response, the UK government has committed to addressing the issue by enhancing collaboration between the Home Office, tech companies, and police forces to crack down on these thefts.
Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson said:
‘These figures are troubling, and the Government is determined to do whatever’s necessary to protect people entitled to walk the streets without the threat of robbery.
‘This new government is determined to crack down on snatch theft, knife-enabled robbery, and other crimes that make people feel unsafe in our communities, and we are working to get thousands more uniformed officers into our communities to restore neighbourhood policing.
‘Phone companies must ensure that any stolen phones can be quickly, easily and permanently disabled, rather than re-registered for sale on the second-hand market, and we will be meeting them soon to discuss what further action is required to make that happen.
‘If we work together, the Government, tech companies and law enforcement can break the business model of the phone thieves and moped gangs who rely on this trade.’
National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for personal robbery, Commander Richard Smith, added: ‘Personal robbery can have a devastating impact on victims, leaving them with trauma which can be lasting.
‘Criminals often target some of the most vulnerable in society, such as children, with threats that violence may be used, making robbery particularly traumatic.
‘We continue to target those habitual criminals responsible for prolific offending, whilst working to prevent young people from being into this type of offending.’
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