London's Bold Crackdown on Mobile Phone Theft: A New Era of Policing

Scotland Yard's intensified operation targets the GBP 50 million-a-year stolen smartphone trade in London, arresting 230 individuals and seizing over 1,000 devices. With increased patrols and collaborations with tech companies, the Met aims to combat the rising trend aggressively. Enhanced safety measures for phone users are also advised.

The Metropolitan Police Service has launched an aggressive campaign against the rampant mobile phone theft in London, which results in an estimated GBP 50 million annual trade. Their ongoing clampdown resulted in 230 arrests and the seizure of over 1,000 stolen devices across the city.

Heightened police efforts have been further validated by convictions like that of a particular gang handling over 5,000 stolen phones, resulting in an 18-year cumulative sentence. The drive to curb this crime wave has been aided by increased patrols and strategic use of tracking data.

With support from local government bodies and additional funding, the Met is urging tech companies to innovate towards better security. By employing strong-password protection and a national mobile registration system, police aim to make stolen devices useless to thieves.

(With inputs from agencies.)