In the largest UK phone theft crackdown to date, the Metropolitan Police say they have dismantled an international criminal network responsible for smuggling up to 40,000 stolen mobile phones from the UK to China in the past year.
Eighteen suspects have been arrested, and more than 2,000 stolen devices recovered in a sweeping operation spanning London and Hertfordshire. Investigators believe the gang may have exported nearly half of all phones stolen in London — where three-quarters of the UK’s mobile thefts occur.
How the UK’s Biggest Phone Theft Operation Began
The operation began when a victim tracked their stolen iPhone to a warehouse near Heathrow Airport on Christmas Eve. Officers discovered nearly 900 other stolen phones ready for shipment to Hong Kong. Subsequent forensic analysis led detectives to two Afghan nationals in their 30s, who were later charged with conspiring to handle and conceal stolen goods.
A third suspect, an Indian national aged 29, was also charged. Police say the arrests marked the breakthrough in exposing a vast smuggling network stretching from London’s streets to Chinese markets.
15 More Arrests as Raids Uncover Stolen Devices
Last week, the Met made a further 15 arrests, most of them women, following coordinated dawn raids on 28 properties. Around 30 stolen phones were found, adding to the 2,000 already seized.
Detective Inspector Mark Gavin said: “Finding that first shipment was the key to uncovering an international operation that may account for up to 40% of all phones stolen in London.”
Soaring Mobile Theft in London
Official data shows phone thefts in London have tripled in four years, rising from 28,609 in 2020 to 80,588 in 2024. Tourist areas such as Westminster and the West End remain the hardest hit.
The Office for National Statistics reported that thefts from the person increased by 15% across England and Wales in the year ending March 2025 — the highest level since 2003. The growing global demand for second-hand smartphones, especially Apple products, is fuelling the rise.
Street thieves in London are reportedly paid up to £300 per stolen iPhone, which can fetch as much as £4,000 each in China, where they are used to bypass internet restrictions.
Police Crackdown and Victim Frustration
Commander Andrew Featherstone, who leads the Met’s anti-phone theft efforts, said: “We’ve dismantled networks from street-level thieves to global crime groups exporting thousands of stolen devices each year.”
However, many victims have criticised police for failing to act even when given real-time phone locations. Londoner Natalie Mitchel, 29, said after her Oxford Street theft: “It’s unnerving being in the city — I think the Met should do much more, including more CCTV and undercover operations.”
Calls for Industry and Global Action
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said more officers are being deployed in hotspots such as Westminster and the West End, which have already led to thousands of phone recoveries. He also called on phone manufacturers to make stolen devices “unusable” to deter the trade.
Meanwhile, the Met Police is expanding its social media outreach on TikTok to raise awareness and has recorded a 14% fall in theft and a 13% fall in robbery so far this year.
Policing Minister Sarah Jones warned that criminal groups are shifting to the phone trade because it is “more lucrative than drug dealing,” urging coordinated global efforts to “shut down the market” for stolen smartphones.
