Government plans new police powers to tackle rising phone thefts, Home Secretary tells LBC

6 February 2025, 09:36 | Updated: 6 February 2025, 10:04

The Home Secretary has called for police to be given greater powers to tackle rising phone thefts across the UK.

Speaking to LBC's Nick Ferrari, Yvette Cooper confirmed she is looking at "speeding up warrants" and "strengthening powers" to police to get them to storm properties to nick back stolen phones

It’s expected that she will hand them new powers to speed up the time it takes to sign off warrants to search properties and seize back stolen phones.

An exclusive LBC investigation revealed victims often complain they hand GPS and location data of where their stolen phones end up over to police - only to be told they’re unable to act quickly enough to search the property, allowing the offenders time to escape.

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But speaking to Nick on Thursday, Ms Cooper said is looking into giving police greater powers to raid thieves' homes by "speeding up warrants" and giving police new powers.

“There's been a big increase in mobile phone theft," she told LBC.

“This has been driven by organised crime and we need much stronger action.

“We need policing and tech companies working hand in hand so we get stronger action to design out the risk that phones will be sent and sold on - to go after organised crime.

She told Nick tech companies need to design features where phones are switched off the moment they are reported stolen.

“We need tech companies to do much more to make sure there is not an incentive to steal phones.

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“This is organised crime driving this.

“We need a drop in phone thefts and a strong partnership between police and tech.”

“I want the police to be able to take much stronger action - speeding up the warrants and action and I am also looking at what stronger powers we can give police.”

“I want the police to be able to take swift action to go after organised criminals.”

Ms Cooper will tell cops to treat phone left more like organised crime – as street crimes like this are up 43 per cent in a year.

Today, she will host the London Mayor, National Crime Agency, Met Police, and a string of tech firms at the Home Office today as she urges them to get a grip on the spiralling problem.

The Home Secretary will tell police forces they need to better share data on phone thefts with the tech firms, and to use intelligence to drive more hotspot policing and targeted operations.

Met officers have seized 1,000 phones and 230 arrests made in just a week as they crack down on rising thefts.

“Over the last few years, mobile phone thefts have shot up – often driven by organised crime – leaving our streets feeling less safe. That has to change," Ms Cooper said ahead of her summit.

“That is why I am meeting tech companies and law enforcement today to pursue stronger action against organised criminality and to prevent phone theft on our streets.

"We need partners working together to disrupt, design-out and disincentivise these damaging crimes.

“At the same time, we are doubling new investment into neighbourhood policing to tackle theft on high streets and in our communities, to keep our streets safe”.

Ministers last week revealed they would double investment in community policing to £200million – but cops have said they’ll still be forced to slash budgets and make cuts to make ends meet.