A committee of Members of Parliament in the UK is urging the government to take decisive action against the rising wave of phone thefts. The Home Secretary is being called upon to leverage her authority to compel technology companies to implement stronger security measures.
Recent statistics from the Metropolitan Police indicate that 117,211 mobile phones were reported stolen in 2024, marking a 25 percent increase since 2019. Alarmingly, only 1 percent of these thefts lead to charges or convictions, according to the largest police force in the UK. The Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, a cross-party group of MPs, emphasizes the necessity of not only pursuing the criminals behind these thefts but also addressing the demand for stolen devices.
Dame Chi Onwurah, chair of the committee, stated, “Apple has told us there is no silver bullet to stop phone theft, but there are clearly technological solutions that can help deter it. The committee has yet to hear any convincing reasons why this hasn”t been implemented.” She criticized tech companies for their claims that stolen phones are primarily dismantled for parts, arguing that the lack of evidence supports the need for enhanced security measures.
Onwurah further stressed the need for the government to adopt a firm approach and convene a long-awaited summit on phone theft, asserting that cooperation among the government, police, and tech firms is essential to implement effective solutions.
During a recent committee session, Darren Scates, the chief digital data and technology officer for the Metropolitan Police, revealed that approximately 80 percent of stolen phones in London are Apple iPhones. The estimated replacement value of these stolen devices reaches £50 million annually. After theft, many devices are trafficked by criminal organizations, with around 75 percent exported internationally to regions including Algeria, China, and Hong Kong.
Scates provided insights on the collaboration between law enforcement and mobile providers, which involves tracking unique IMEI numbers assigned to stolen phones. He noted that these numbers could facilitate blocking stolen devices at the network level, although current industry cooperation stands at only 10 percent of global phone networks.
Despite this, the committee concluded that tech companies can and should do more to reduce the market for stolen phones. In correspondence with the Home Secretary, Onwurah questioned Apple, Google, and Samsung on their hesitance to adopt robust technical solutions, such as cloud-based blocking or IMEI-linked device locks. Such measures could significantly diminish the resale value of stolen phones by preventing them from accessing cloud services in foreign countries.
In written responses to the committee, Apple expressed its commitment to user safety and highlighted existing security features like the Find My app and Activation Lock. However, it also raised concerns about the potential privacy and security implications of broader IMEI blocking measures. Similarly, Google reiterated its dedication to tackling device theft and mentioned its efforts in collaboration with original equipment manufacturers to enhance device protection.
Samsung stated that it has taken extensive measures to combat phone theft, including the launch of new security features and collaboration with government partners. The growing issue of mobile device theft remains a significant challenge, necessitating immediate attention from both the government and the tech industry.
