Mobile phone thefts including procedure of reporting from 2019 to 2023

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.24.036766

I note you seek access to the following information:

1. Please may you provide the latest statistics (going back 5 calendar years) for the number of mobiles stolen.

Please may you provide a breakdown for:

1. a. Geography (in which cities is it most common).
   b. Location (in which venue / park / area is it most common)
   c. Victim (which demographic unfortunately is most likely to falls victim to mobile theft? (Please break this down via: age, gender, ethnicity)
2. Please may you provide the latest statistics (going back 5 calendar years) for the number of mobiles stolen and returned to the victim.
3. Please may you provide the latest statistics (going back 5 calendar years) for the number of mobiles stolen and not returned to the victim.
4. Please may you explain the steps a person must take to make a police report having had their mobile stolen. Please include:
   - What information they need to produce.
   - How long the process takes.
   - What is the threshold for a police report to be made.

Please may you provide your advice on the steps a person should take when their mobile has been stolen and the person knows their telephone code.

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.

Please find below information pursuant to your request above.

IMPORTANT:
• Please ensure that the note section within the spreadsheet is read in conjunction with the data in this report to ensure that it is interpreted correctly.

In response to question 4 of your request:

Q4 - Please may you explain the steps a person must take to make a police report having had their mobile stolen. Please include:

- What information they need to produce.
- How long the process takes.
- What is the threshold for a police report to be made.

Please may you provide your advice on the steps a person should take when their mobile has been stolen and the person knows their telephone code.

I have provided the following information.

Please may you explain the steps a person must take to make a police report having had their mobile stolen.

You can report online or at the front counter.

What information they need to produce.

• How you know it to be stolen and not lost.
• Time and date it was stolen.
• IMEI Number, Make and Model of your phone.
• Victims details.
• Is there a suspect?
• What contract are you on.
• Have you informed you service provider.
• Do you have track my phone (Where’s my I Phone)

How long the process takes.

Reporting every crime is different, depending on the circumstances, unable to give exact time.

What is the threshold for a police report to be made.

They have to suspect it’s been stolen and not lost.

Please may you provide your advice on the steps a person should take when their mobile has been stolen and the person knows their telephone code.

Assuming the Code, is reference to the pin number. They inform their service provider and report it to the police. The phone can be locked. And report as soon as possible.

INFORMATION

A Met Police spokesperson said:
“Mobile phones are a sought after commodity for opportunistic criminals, and are most commonly stolen through pickpocketing, table surfing and more recently by individuals or gangs operating on mopeds.
“Dedicated proactive teams carry out activity across the capital on a daily basis. This includes enhanced high visibility patrols and proactive intelligence led activity. Together with this specially trained officers focus their attention on hotspot areas during key times of the day to prevent those intent on using mopeds and other means of transport to target unsuspecting members of the public.
“It is important that victims and witnesses contact the police as soon as a robbery occurs – the first hour after a robbery takes place or the ‘Golden Hour’ is critical to catching robbers. In that first hour officers are able to ascertain crucial forensic evidence, helping to take violent criminals off our streets”.
+ Background: You can play a role too, Look Up, Look Out to make yourself less vulnerable to personal robbery and:
• Stay aware of your surroundings and pay attention to who is around you.
• Keep valuables such as mobile phones, watches and cash out of sight.
• Plan your route home.
If you are a victim of robbery, you can give us the best chance of catching them by contacting us as soon as possible by dialling 999.