In a significant move against organized crime, London’s Metropolitan Police have conducted a large-scale operation, arresting 46 individuals involved in phone snatching and the illicit trade of stolen devices. This operation saw 32 snatchers apprehended and seven shops dealing in stolen phones shut down. One raided establishment alone yielded over 2,000 stolen phones and electronics valued at approximately £500,000. This two-week initiative also involved searches of 28 properties across London and Hertfordshire. London Mayor Sadiq Khan hailed it as the UK’s largest operation of its kind, targeting both street-level criminals and the masterminds behind international smuggling networks that fuel this pervasive crime. In recent years, incidents of phone snatching have escalated in popular tourist areas and affluent neighborhoods, with the number of stolen phones rising dramatically from over 28,000 in 2020 to 81,000 in 2024, averaging one snatching every eight minutes. This organized criminal activity often involves culprits on bikes targeting pedestrians, with the stolen goods then smuggled to markets, primarily in China. The police are employing advanced forensic marking systems like SelectaDNA, which uses unique invisible codes to track marked items and aid in nabbing offenders. The crackdown is a response to growing concerns about public safety and the negative impact on tourism, with authorities emphasizing the need for continued vigilance and action against these criminal elements.
