Mobile phones are reported stolen every six minutes in London

Mobile phones are reported stolen every six minutes in London as police chief brands the fact only 2% of victims ever get them back as ‘unacceptable’

• That’s 91,000 phone thefts in 2022 alone, according to data revealed by the BBC 
• Only 2 per cent of victims are reunited with their mobile, an ‘unaceptable’ figure

A mobile phone is reported as stolen every six minutes in London, figures show.

That’s 91,000 phone thefts in 2022 alone, according to data revealed by the BBC.

And only 2 per cent of victims are reunited with their mobile – a figure described as ‘unacceptable’ by HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary Andy Cooke.

He said: ‘Phone theft is not a minor crime, 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.’

Megan Kenyon, 25, who has had her mobile phone stolen twice in Islington, north London within the last year, said it feels like ‘a crime that goes unpunished’ (file image)

Both incidents happened when someone on a motorcycle or bike cycled up close whilst she was walking on the street, before snatching the phone out of her hand (file image)

The Metropolitan Police said officers ‘run daily operations to target offenders’. 

Westminster (25,899 thefts), Camden (7,892) and Hackney (4,618) were among the worst hit boroughs last year.

Megan Kenyon, 25, who has had her mobile phone stolen twice in Islington, north London within the last year, said it feels like ‘a crime that goes unpunished’.

READ MORE – Revealed: Victims of London phone theft find their stolen mobiles are ending up in the SAME street in Chinese city 

 

Both incidents happened when someone on a motorcycle or bike cycled up close whilst she was walking on the street, before snatching the phone out of her hand.

On both occasions she contacted the police but this was ‘mainly because I needed the crime reference number’ for insurance.

She added: ‘I knew the police wouldn’t do anything about it.

‘The first time it happened and I reported it, nothing happened. (This was) despite the fact that I was able to track its location and see where it had been taken to.

‘On the second occasion, I had a conversation with a police officer who said that because the thief was wearing a balaclava, there was nothing they could do.

Ms Kenyon added: ‘It just feels like there is no point in reporting it in the first place, unless you need to for your insurance.

‘It’s only for proof not for any repercussions. It’s a crime that goes unpunished, there seems to be no effort from the police to prevent this.

‘You feel very violated, your whole life is on your phone, you can be left not knowing what to do.’

A Metropolitan Police spokesman: ‘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 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 being able to do so.’

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