Hundreds of phones recovered from north London shop

Met officers seized more than 500 suspected stolen mobile phones during a raid on a shop in north-west London.

Officers also arrested four men, aged 22, 25, 34 and 63, on suspicion of handling stolen goods, possession of drugs and intent to supply.

This seizure forms part of the Met’s ongoing crackdown on mobile phone theft. Officers are using intelligence and cutting-edge technology, including drones and high-powered Sur-Ron electric bikes, to catch offenders and significantly disrupt the stolen mobile phone market.

As a result of this focused approach, the Met has reduced mobile phone theft offences in London by 10,000 in the past year.

Inspector Yu Zhang, from the Met’s local policing team in Brent, said:

“We understand mobile phone theft remains a major concern for Londoners and that’s why we have worked hard to drive down offending.

“Seizures such as this show that we are not only targeting individual phone snatchers, but also those who handle and profit from stolen devices.

“Londoners deserve to feel safe and we are committed to relentlessly disrupting the organised criminal networks fuelling this crime”

The raid at a convenience store in Kilburn High Road was carried out as part of a coordinated week of action in Brent, focusing on tackling theft, robbery and e-bike- related crime.

The shop was subject to a warrant after intelligence indicated that the venue was being used to supply Class B drugs.

Three suspects have been released on bail, and one has been released under investigation.

Earlier this year, the Met conducted four weeks of intensified activity to combat mobile phone theft across London which resulted in 248 arrests and the seizure of 770 stolen phones.

Four individuals suspected of handling stolen mobile phones are scheduled to go on trial later this month.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Video and images are available here: https://mps.box.com/s/f17ncbhh7bjg4rxc23r3o3bf1cx8rabm