Ministers could force phone companies to add 'anti-theft protections'
Phone thefts have been particularly prevalent in London, but numbers are starting to fall. She noted the government had so far opted for a collaborative approach with the companies but warned: "If at any point I am not satisfied about the pace of progress in the context of efforts being made, we will legislate."The Science and Technology Committee held an inquiry into mobile phone thefts last year. At one hearing, Conservative MP Kit Malthouse asked if companies were "dragging their feet" due to "a very strong commercial incentive"."The fact that £50m-worth of phones are stolen in London every year means that, if that stopped, £50m of sales would be depressed," he said.
- ▪Phone thefts have been particularly prevalent in London, but numbers are starting to fall.
- ▪She noted the government had so far opted for a collaborative approach with the companies but warned: "If at any point I am not satisfied about the pace of progress in the context of efforts being made, we will legislate."The Science and Te
- ▪At one hearing, Conservative MP Kit Malthouse asked if companies were "dragging their feet" due to "a very strong commercial incentive"."The fact that £50m-worth of phones are stolen in London every year means that, if that stopped, £50m of
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| Publication time | Tue, 15 Sep 2026 17:54:07 GMT |
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Ministers could force phone companies to add 'anti-theft protections'Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Purple pavement markings in Oxford Street in August 2025 warned pedestrians of mobile phone theivesPublished7 minutes agoPolicing minister Sarah Jones has said that unless there is a drop in the number of mobile phones being stolen, the government could force phone companies to add "anti-theft protections" to their products.Writing to the Science and Technology Committee,, external she said the Home Office had so far chosen to work collaboratively with the tech giants to reduce thefts, but would consider legislation if she did not see progress. Phone thefts have been particularly prevalent in London, but numbers are starting to fall.
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