London police have dismantled what they describe as the UK's largest-ever mobile phone theft operation, uncovering an international gang believed to have smuggled up to 40,000 stolen devices to China over the past year. The investigation, triggered by a single Christmas Eve-tracked iPhone, exposed a sophisticated network linking street-level thieves to overseas buyers. According to a report by BBC, Police believe the gang could be responsible for exporting up to half of all phones stolen in London, where most mobiles are taken in the UK. Officers were given access to the operation, including details of suspects, their methods, and raids on 28 properties across London and Hertfordshire. Eighteen suspects have been arrested and more than 2,000 stolen devices discovered. "It was actually on Christmas Eve and a victim electronically tracked their stolen iPhone to a warehouse near Heathrow Airport,' Detective Inspector Mark Gavin said. 'The security there was eager to help out and they found the phone was in a box, among another 894 phones," he added. Officers discovered that almost all the phones had been stolen, and many were being shipped to Hong Kong. Using forensics, police traced the packages to two men. A dramatic mid-road interception captured on bodycam showed officers, some with Tasers drawn, restraining the suspects and discovering dozens of devices wrapped in foil to avoid detection. The two men, Afghan nationals in their 30s, were charged with conspiring to receive stolen goods and conspiring to conceal or remove criminal property. A third suspect, a 29-year-old Indian national, has also been charged with the same offences. "Finding the original shipment of phones was the starting point for an investigation that uncovered an international smuggling gang, which we believe could be responsible for exporting up to 40% of all the phones stolen in London," Det Insp Gavin said, BBC reported. A further 15 arrests were made last week on suspicion of theft, handling stolen goods, and conspiracy to steal, most of the suspects being women, including a Bulgarian national. The number of phones stolen in London has nearly tripled over the last four years, from 28,609 in 2020 to 80,588 in 2024. Three-quarters of all phones stolen in the UK are taken in London, particularly at tourist hotspots like the West End and Westminster. "We're hearing that some criminals are stopping dealing drugs and moving on to the phone business because it's more lucrative,' Policing Minister Sarah Jones said. 'If you steal a phone and it's worth hundreds of pounds you can understand why criminals who are one step ahead and want to exploit new crimes are turning to that world," Jones added. Senior officers said the gang specifically targeted Apple products because of their high resale value abroad. Street thieves were reportedly paid up to £300 per handset, while stolen devices were sold in China for up to £4,000 each. "This is the largest crackdown on mobile phone theft and robbery in the UK in the most extraordinary set of operations the Met has ever undertaken," said Commander Andrew Featherstone, the Met's lead for tackling phone theft. "We've dismantled criminal networks at every level from street-level thieves to international organised crime groups exporting tens of thousands of stolen devices each year." Victims, however, have criticised the police for insufficient action, even when using real-time tracking apps like Apple's Find My iPhone. Natalie Mitchel, 29, had her phone stolen on Oxford Street last year. "It's really unnerving being here and obviously I'm not sure who is around me. I'm worried about my bag, I'm worried about my phone," she said. "I think the Met Police should be doing a lot more – possibly setting up some more CCTV surveillance or seeing if there's any way they've got some undercover police officers just to tackle this problem." The Metropolitan Police said personal robbery has been reduced by 13 per cent and theft is down 14 per cent in London so far this year. Up to 80 additional officers are being deployed in the West End to target phone robbery. London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan added that the Met is enhancing visible neighbourhood policing and special operations in hotspot areas. "I will continue to call on the mobile phone industry to go harder and faster in designing out this crime by making stolen devices unusable," he said. "We need coordinated global action to shut down this trade and build a safer London for everyone."
