Spike in Phone Thefts in England: Urgent Government Action

In the past year, England and Wales have witnessed a concerning increase in street thefts, particularly of mobile phones, with 78,000 reported cases. Alarmingly, fewer than 1% of these cases have resulted in charges, while approximately 82% of investigations have been closed without identifying a suspect. This trend is attributed to a growing demand for secondhand phones, both domestically and internationally. In response, the government is calling on tech companies to devise solutions that allow stolen phones to be permanently disabled, hindering their resale. The government is also pushing for law enforcement to enhance their intelligence gathering regarding theft incidents and the culprits involved. The initiative reflects an urgent need to curb theft rates and improve public safety in light of rising crime statistics.