Metropolitan Police arrest 700 in London phone theft crackdown

The Metropolitan Police conducted a month-long crackdown in September targeting organized networks involved in the theft and resale of mobile phones in London. The operation resulted in more than 700 arrests and the recovery of hundreds of suspected stolen devices. Officers executed over 50 warrants and inspected 220 second-hand phone shops.

In addition to mobile phones, police seized drugs, weapons, cash, and over 110 illegal e-bikes, which are frequently used by thieves to carry out snatch thefts. The crackdown follows the recent sentencing of three men—Ismat Miakhel, Mansoor Mohammed, and Amir Muhammad Khadikhel—who received a combined 25 years in prison for trafficking up to 40,000 stolen phones from the UK to China.

London is reported to be a major hub for such crimes, with approximately 80,000 devices stolen annually. The Metropolitan Police have identified the reduction of phone theft and street robbery as a key priority to improve public safety and confidence.