Mobile phone reported stolen in London every six minutes

Nearly 91,000 mobile phones were stolen across London last year - equating to 250 a day
Moped thieves snatch a phone from a Londoner in spring 2021
Met Police
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A mobile phone is reported stolen in London every six minutes, shocking official figures have revealed.

A staggering 90,864 phones - equating to almost 250 a day - were stolen across the capital last year, according to stats provided to the BBC by police.

They reveal Westminster is London’s phone theft hotspot, with 25,899 mobiles stolen there in 2022 - almost 30 per cent of the total stolen across the capital.

Camden came in second place with just shy of 7,900 phone thefts, followed by Southwark and Hackney. Bexley saw the fewest phone thefts, with 432.

The figures have also exposed the slim likelihood of victims being reunited with stolen phones, showing only around two per cent of mobiles stolen in London last year were later recovered.

His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, which inspects police forces across England and Wales, has slammed the charge rate for phone thefts as “unacceptable”.

“Phone theft is not a minor crime,” HMCIFRS Chief Inspector Andy Cooke told the BBC. “It strikes at the heart of how safe people feel in their own communities.

“There needs to be a concerted drive to address this because it directly affects the public’s confidence in the police’s ability to keep them safe.”

Scotland Yard said mobiles are difficult to trace as they are typically sold on quickly. Thieves often use bikes and mopeds to snatch mobile phones, frequently approaching victims from behind while they are texting or on a phone call.

Police officers at the scene after three people were taken to hospital following an attempted phone robbery in Bishopsgate
PA Wire

One city broker who intervened was left needing 52 stitches to his face.

Meanwhile, celebrity talent manager Chad Teixeira’s phones were stolen by thieves three times in a matter of weeks last year.

The 35-year-old was targeted by pickpockets outside restaurants near Leicester Square and Covent Garden.

In a third, violent incident robbers pulled open the doors of his Uber at 4am in the West End before beating him until he handed over his iPhone, leaving him feeling “violated”.

A Met Police spokesperson said: “Mobile phones are commonly the most stolen items because they are easy to snatch from victims hands as they look at their phones as they travel around London for varied reasons - for example to look at directions, texting etc and they are unaware of their surroundings.

“They are a valuable commodity and easily disposable to handlers for sale out of the UK. The recovery of phones is difficult as those stealing them pass them on to be sold very quickly.

“Police run daily operations to target offenders and work with second hand retailers to crack down on stolen mobile phones being sold on. Specially trained officers from the Operation Venice and the Roads and Transport Policing Command focus their attention on hotspot areas, as well as key times of the day, to prevent those intent on using mopeds and other means of transport to steal from the community from being able to do so.

“It is important that victims and witnesses contact the police as soon as a robbery occurs – the first hour after a robbery takes place or the ‘golden hour’ is critical to catching robbers.”

Rob Atkin, Chief Superintendent of City of London Police, added: “Reducing the number of phone thefts is a priority to keep our community in the City safe.

“We continue to run proactive operations and have recovered over 400 phones, so far this year, with around half returned to their owners.

“We have also arrested and charged several offenders with these offences over the previous months and we continue to use every opportunity to bring offenders to justice who commit these offences.

“We do however, ask If you use your phone when you’re out in the street, be aware of what’s going on around you, especially be on the lookout for mopeds and bikes.”

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