In a major move to make London’s streets safer, Mayor Sadiq Khan has announced a £4.5m investment to launch a specialised Mobile Phone Theft Command Cell. This new hub, based in the West End, will coordinate real-time intelligence to dismantle criminal networks and target shops dealing in stolen devices. While record City Hall funding has already helped the Met reduce mobile phone thefts by 12.3% over the last year—amounting to 10,000 fewer stolen devices—the Mayor is doubling down on enforcement.
The new surge in funding will support high-tech “blitzes,” utilising drones and specialist e-bike officers to pursue suspects, while the Stolen Phone Retail Taskforce cracks down on the resale market. As the Mayor noted, “far too many Londoners have been the victim of phone theft,” and this latest investment aims to turn the capital into a “no-go area” for thieves.