UK: 230 people lose their phones daily due to theft
The theft of mobile phones has become a disturbing phenomenon in Britain, with most users now afraid to carry their phones in their hands while walking on the street, hold them to their ears, or leave them in visible places in their bags or pockets, as they would simply become targets for specialized phone thieves. Phone theft is widespread in public places in Britain, where thieves typically snatch phones openly from users who are talking on the phone, holding their devices to read text messages, or taking photos in tourist areas. The thief is usually on a bicycle, quickly snatching the phone from the victim’s hand and fleeing the scene.
According to information published by the British Daily Star, the latest official data revealed that approximately 230 people per day had their mobile phones stolen in England and Wales during 2025, with London leading by a wide margin in the list of areas recording the highest number of such crimes. Data obtained by the newspaper from the police force in England and Wales showed that at least 83,000 crimes involving the theft or robbery of mobile phones from their owners were recorded last year. This figure represents a 12% decrease compared to the approximately 94,000 cases recorded in 2024, but remains higher than the total of around 80,000 thefts recorded in 2023.
However, the newspaper emphasizes that the actual number is likely higher than what has been recorded, as nine out of 44 police forces did not disclose their figures related to complaints about mobile phone theft. London topped the list of locations where people are most likely to have their mobile phones stolen, recording more than 72,000 theft and robbery incidents in 2025, accounting for approximately 87% of the total cases registered in England and Wales. The rate of phone theft in London reached about 795 cases per 100,000 people, compared to around 21 cases per 100,000 people outside the capital. The data indicated that the high density of tourists in London may contribute to the elevated rate, given that large numbers of visitors have had their phones stolen while in the capital.
The Westminster area was the most affected within London, recording approximately 20,700 phone theft and robbery incidents last year. Despite this, the capital saw a decline in these crimes, with the number of cases dropping from around 81,000 in 2024 to 72,000 in 2025, a decrease of nearly 13%. However, conviction rates remain extremely low, with data showing that only about 1% of reported cases result in formal charges by the police.
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London stated that the reduction of approximately 13,000 phone theft cases in one year was the result of intensive efforts between the police and relevant authorities, noting that crime in the "West End" area had decreased by nearly half. He added that the Metropolitan Police had strengthened their presence in areas most vulnerable to crime, alongside the use of drones and electric bicycles in efforts to combat phone theft.
In the fight against these crimes, the Metropolitan Police recently launched a program in collaboration with Apple, aimed at making stolen phones unusable, in an attempt to limit their resale or reuse, as confirmed by the Daily Star. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley warned technology companies, urging them to take urgent steps to prevent the resale or use of stolen phones, otherwise, the police would call on the government to intervene through new legislation.
