Met seizes hundreds of stolen phones as thefts hit four-year low

The Metropolitan Police has arrested more than 700 people and seized hundreds of suspected stolen mobile phones in one month during its largest-ever crackdown on phone theft.

The operation saw officers pursue suspects in high-speed chases, reunite victims with their phones, and execute more than 50 warrants, including at second-hand phone shops suspected of handling stolen devices.

In one dramatic arrest, CCTV and body-worn footage captured the moment a suspected phone thief who had fled on an e-bike jumped into a pond, discarding multiple phones in an effort to avoid arrest. Officers pursued him on high-powered Sur-Ron e-bikes and waded into the pond to fish out six phones wrapped in foil, a tactic used by thieves to block signals and hinder tracking. He was arrested moments later.

From 1 to 30 September, arrests were made for phone theft, robbery and handling stolen goods. A number of those arrested were known repeat offenders. Officers also seized drugs, knives, firearms, tens of thousands of pounds in cash, and more than 110 illegal e-bikes. The arrests underline how organised criminals involved in phone theft are often linked to wider offending, including drug supply. Officers also visited 220 second-hand phone shops across London, to gather intelligence and build positive relationships with legitimate businesses.

New data released today by the Met shows phone theft and robbery offences haven fallen to their lowest August level since 2022. In August, 3,963 offences were recorded across London compared with 3,311 offences in August 2022. The figures come as the Met continues to come down hard on phone thieves and the organised criminal networks behind them.

Commander Andy Featherstone, the Met’s lead for tackling phone theft, said:

“Phone theft offences are now at a four-year low because of the Met’s relentless campaign to crack down on these criminals.

“This was our biggest operation yet, with officers targeting every stage of the organised criminal chain, including street thieves, handlers and exporters.

“Our message to these criminals is clear: London is becoming a much harder place to steal phones. The risks are increasing, the opportunities are shrinking, and we are coming after you.”

The results come as the Met and Apple continue to share intelligence on stolen devices, helping officers track stolen phones within the UK and abroad.

Early data also indicates that as security on phones have got better, criminals are increasingly using new “social engineering” tactics to hack into devices. By posing as trusted organisations, they contact victims on other devices, trying to obtain passwords and account details that can be used to unlock devices. In some cases, criminals use threats to pressure victims into handing over information.

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, said:

“The tide is definitely turning on mobile phone crime in London with 16,000 fewer mobile phones stolen in the past year and neighbourhood crime falling further too.

“Record funding from City Hall is empowering the Met to go after every single part of the £50million-a-year trade in stolen phones. New Met Police drones and Sur-Ron bikes are allowing the police to take the fight directly to the street robbers, while street vendor ‘middlemen’ who unlock stolen devices or break them up for parts are being shut down, and organised gang leaders responsible for smuggling stolen phones out of the country are being brought to book.

“The ongoing clampdown has seen hundreds of criminals arrested with thousands of handsets seized. We are all determined to build on this progress and will continue to support the police and work with the mobile phone industry to go much further in preventing stolen phones being used, sold and repurposed, to build a safer London for all.”

Sarah Jones, Minister for Policing and Crime, said:

“I welcome the excellent results from the Met and other forces involved in Operation Reckoning, which demonstrates the tough action and clear resolve of the police to clamp down on phone theft.

“We are supporting that work by bringing in new powers for police to act much more swiftly where stolen goods have been electronically located and search properties without delay in securing a warrant.

“We have also put more than 3,800 officers back into neighbourhood roles. Street theft of phones in London is down 21% to August 2026 when compared to the previous year and we continue our work with policing and phone companies on what more can be done to dismantle this criminal business model for good.”

Reducing phone theft

Following more than 80,000 phone thefts and robberies in 2024, officers stepped up action against the organised criminal networks behind phone thefts, targeting offenders and disrupting the trade in stolen devices.

In parallel, local officers and specialist teams have focused on theft hotspots around London, deploying drones, high-powered e-bikes and live facial recognition to identify and arrest suspects.

The strategy is delivering results. Phone theft and robbery fell from 81,439 offences in 2024 to 71,867 in 2025. The downward trend has continued this year, with offences down by a fifth. Between January and August this year, there were 39,793 offences, down from 49,136 in the same period last year – that’s 9,000 fewer victims.

The impact has been particularly pronounced in Westminster, the capital's busiest tourist destination, where offences have fallen by almost 50 per cent.

Working with device manufacturers

A key part of the Met's strategy has been working with the technology industry to make stolen phones harder to sell and reuse.

Earlier this year, Apple strengthened the security measures on its devices worldwide, making it more difficult for criminals to profit from stolen devices. The move followed more than two years of engagement with the company and marked a significant breakthrough in efforts to tackle the theft market at its source.

While welcoming the progress made, the Met continues to believe the Government should consider legislation to ensure the industry maintains and builds on these commitments in the long term.

The Met is also urging anyone who has had a phone stolen to stay vigilant to anyone posing as police or their phone companies. Police, Apple and other legitimate organisations will never ask for passwords or information that would give someone access to your device or account.

Operational highlights

• On Friday, 4 September, officers on patrol in Hackney arrested a robbery suspect moments after a mobile phone was stolen in broad daylight. Police witnessed the incident as it happened and quickly detained the suspect nearby, recovering stolen property. Suspect is on police bail.
• On Friday, 4 September, officers investigating the robbery of a tourist's mobile phone identified a group of suspects in the Southwark area. Four men were arrested and 12 suspected stolen mobile phones recovered, with several returned to their owners at the scene. Many of the victims were visitors to London. All four men have been bailed pending further enquiries.
• On Saturday, 5 September, officers on Sur-Rons identified a man riding a high-powered e-bike whose behaviour raised suspicion. After failing to stop for police, he fled into a nearby park and jumped into a shallow pond before being arrested. Officers recovered six suspected stolen phones wrapped in foil. The 21-year-old suspect has been released on police bail pending further enquiries.
• On Wednesday, 9 September, officers arrested a 32-year-old man riding an e-bike whose behaviour raised suspicious. During a search, officers recovered 11 mobile phones and rolls of tin foil. The man was charged with robbery and remanded in custody.
• On Sunday, 11 September, officers in raided a shop in north London suspected of handling stolen mobile devices. Further enquiries led officers to an address where more than 100 suspected stolen phones were seized. Five suspects were arrested and charged.
• On Friday, 25 September, three men were jailed for a combined 25 years for handling stolen goods, following a Met investigation into the UK’s largest mobile phone smuggling network. After a year‑long investigation, detectives found the men were responsible for trafficking up to 40,000 stolen mobile phones from the UK to China in 2024 and 2025. The haul is believed to account for around 40 per cent of all phones stolen in London during that period.

NOTES TO EDITOR:

Media folder: https://mps.box.com/s/74vn1xkj...

Operation Reckoning 6 media cut:

• 00:00 – 00:26 Officers use tactical contact to apprehend a phone thief on an e-bike.
• 00:27 – 01:05 Officers arrest four suspects, recover 12 suspected stolen phones.
• 01:06 – 02:50 Officers chase suspect into pond, recover six suspected stolen devices.
• 02:51 – 03:37 Officers arrest a suspect, recover 11 suspected stolen mobile phones.
• 03:38 – 04:20 Officers raid a shop suspected of handling stolen goods, recover more than 100 suspected stolen devices at address linked to venue.

General media cut:

• 00:00 – 01:08 – Ops room and drone footage supporting response and evidence gathering.
• 01:09 – 01:59 – Phone snatch incidents across London.
• 02:00 – 03:06 – Officers on Sur-Ron e-bikes, effective in chasing suspects on two-wheelers.
• 03:07 – 03:56 – Interceptors chase and arrest suspect on bike.
• 03:57 – 05:00 – Officers arrest suspect for conspiracy to handle stolen goods.
• 05:01 – 05:32 – Officers raid north-west London shop, seize 1,000 stolen phones.