London Smartphone Theft Continues to Spiral Out of Control
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Earlier this month, we praised London’s Metropolitan Police for busting an international smuggling ring responsible for 40,000 stolen smartphones in London. This number represented about half of the smartphones stolen annually in the city — but that may have been just the tip of the iceberg.
A new report from London’s The Standard now suggests the true total that year may be much higher — as many as 116,000 devices in 2024. What’s worse, Londoners are living in fear as nearly 300 phones are stolen daily. That’s 13 phones every hour. Many are snatched from owners’ hands, leaving victims traumatized.
Why snatch a smartphone instead of surreptitiously stealing one? If a phone, like an iPhone, is open and unlocked when stolen, thieves have a much better chance of accessing personal data — banking info, crypto, photos, and more — or disabling features like Activation Lock that make resale much more difficult.
Unfortunately, snatching has become increasingly popular for this reason. Many Londoners now feel they can’t safely take out their phones in public.
Despite the recent success of a series of raids that disrupted the gang behind shipping 40,000 stolen phones out of London last year, many victims are losing confidence in the police’s ability to promote public safety. Patcharin Wongsatien told the UK’s Metro how her experience left her shaken:
There were two boys on a bike and two other boys waiting on top of the road, that’s why I let go of my phone because I tried to hold on, but then saw the other two were coming as well. I was shaken and shocked, so I called the police but they were not very helpful — they said many phones were stolen and it happens all the time.
In its report, The Standard cites statistics gathered by a Freedom of Information request by the group Crush Crime, which revealed that of the 116,000 stolen phones, 71,000 were iPhones. Of the victims, 61,000 were female and 48,000 were male, with gender not reported for the remaining 7,000. Despite the enormous number of stolen phones, only 169 suspects were charged.
“We’re in the midst of a phone theft epidemic, and our government is failing to act,” said Crush Crime founder Dr. Lawrence Newport. “Our politicians need to wake up to reality: they need to stop this epidemic, and push our justice system to catch, convict, and imprison these career criminals.”
Why is smartphone theft so prevalent in London? In many respects, it’s the perfect storm. London’s size and density make it an ideal target; an established criminal infrastructure launders stolen goods easily, and crowded tube stations and tourist zones offer perfect conditions for quick snatch-and-run thefts. With the use of e-bikes, mopeds, and scooters, thieves can make a quick getaway.
Compared to other crimes, stealing a phone has a relatively low barrier to entry. There’s little planning required, no need for special tools, and it rarely requires much force. Couple this with the low arrest and charge rates, and it’s easy to see why this problem persists. The city also attracts a high number of tourists who may be less cautious or aware of local risks.
It’s a situation that’s clearly getting out of hand, and it must be incredibly frustrating for locals. Whether manufacturers like Apple share any blame or the burden rests on law enforcement, one thing’s clear: London’s phone-theft crisis is spiraling. If you’re traveling abroad — especially to London — consider enabling Stolen Device Protection and exercise caution when using your iPhone in public.
