London’s Metropolitan Police arrested more than 700 people and seized hundreds of suspected stolen mobile phones during a month-long operation targeting organised phone theft networks.
The September crackdown involved more than 50 search warrants, raids on suspected illegal phone dealers and the seizure of over 110 illegal e-bikes, alongside drugs, weapons and large amounts of cash.
In one incident, a suspected thief fleeing on an electric bike jumped into a pond and threw six phones wrapped in foil into the water in an attempt to evade arrest. Officers recovered the devices and detained the 21-year-old suspect.
The operation comes as phone theft across London continues to decline. Between January and August 2026, police recorded 39,793 theft and robbery offences involving phones, down from 49,136 during the same period last year — a reduction of around 19%. Annual offences fell from 81,439 in 2024 to 71,867 in 2025.
Westminster, one of the capital’s busiest tourist areas, has recorded a particularly sharp decline, with offences falling by almost half.
Police also inspected 220 second-hand phone shops to gather intelligence and identify businesses potentially involved in handling stolen devices. Investigators are targeting the entire criminal supply chain, from street thieves to dealers and international smuggling networks.
The crackdown follows the dismantling of a major smuggling operation. Three men were jailed for a combined 25 years in September after investigators linked them to the trafficking of up to 40,000 stolen phones from Britain to China during 2024 and 2025.
The Metropolitan Police is also working with Apple and other technology companies to make stolen devices harder to unlock, resell or reuse. However, officers warn that criminals are increasingly using social engineering to trick victims into revealing passwords and account details, sometimes employing threats or impersonating trusted organisations.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said stronger enforcement and cooperation with the mobile phone industry were helping disrupt the estimated £50 million-a-year stolen-phone trade. Policing Minister Sarah Jones also welcomed the results, highlighting plans to strengthen police powers to recover electronically tracked stolen goods.
The Met urged victims not to disclose passwords or account information to anyone claiming to represent the police or a phone manufacturer. Legitimate organisations will never request credentials that would allow them to access a device or account. Photo by Cnyborg, Wikimedia commons.
