Now YOU hold the key to solving crime: Smartphones are the most crucial piece of evidence in probes
A report has found that smartphones are now the most important source of digital evidence in solving almost every criminal investigation.
Detectives rely on the wealth of information held on devices in 97 percent of cases; that’s twice as much data required from laptops.
The devices, which contain a wealth of detailed messages, photos and location information, have become ‘a crime scene in your pocket’, police chiefs told the Mail.
From the killers of Brianna Ghey to BBC presenter Huw Edwards, evidence from mobile phones has been vital in securing high-profile convictions in recent years.
Cellebrite’s 2026 Industry Trends report, which provides digital forensics tools to global law enforcement agencies, surveyed 1,200 researchers.
Smartphones turned out to be by far the most cited source of digital evidence in solving cases; This figure accounted for 73 percent of cases the previous year. Laptops came in second place with 51 percent, followed by CCTV with 41 percent.
Cryptocurrency was found to be the fastest growing source of evidence and was used in more than a fifth (22 per cent) of cases, largely due to the ongoing rise in online scams.
Cellebrite Marketing Director David Gee said: ‘The mobile phone is your digital twin; It knows who you are, where you are, who you’re talking to, and everything in between.
Smartphones are now the most important source of digital evidence in solving nearly every criminal investigation, according to a report (file photo)
‘You can see its importance growing in forensic data; it’s a part of almost every investigation at this point. It now transcends the laptop because it literally goes with you wherever you go.
“It is clear that digital evidence is the backbone of modern justice,” he added.
Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Matt Scott said: ‘Smartphone evidence plays a crucial role in enabling officers to establish the facts, establish a clear timeline of events and bring criminals to justice.’
In the murder investigation of Brianna Ghey, detectives forensically recovered WhatsApp messages from the phones of both teenage killers that revealed months of premeditated planning and a “kill list” that was central to the couple’s conviction in 2024.
The same year, a court heard that dozens of illegal images of children and payments were found in disgraced BBC presenter Huw Edward’s phone call to a convicted pedophile; This was crucial for him to confess his guilt.
Calling for greater recognition of the work of police digital forensics teams, Surrey Police Crime Commissioner Lisa Townsend said: ‘It’s no longer just about dusting off fingerprints, modern policing is much more complex and online.
Detectives in the murder investigation of Brianna Ghey (pictured) forensically recovered WhatsApp messages from the phones of both teenage killers, revealing months of premeditated planning and a “kill list” that played a central role in the couple’s conviction in 2024.
The same year, a court heard that dozens of illegal images of children and payments were found in a phone call by disgraced BBC presenter Huw Edward (pictured) to a convicted pedophile; This was crucial for him to confess his guilt.
‘Smartphones are like a crime scene in your pocket. ‘It is very unusual for a crime to no longer leave a digital footprint.’
The report also found that 65 percent of detectives, who often handle ten cases at a time, are increasingly relying on AI to speed up their caseloads.
A typical investigation takes up to 35 hours, with 60 percent of that time spent sifting and evaluating evidence rather than following leads or interviewing people.
Two-thirds of respondents said time was the biggest hurdle in moving cases, with manual review creating bottlenecks that delayed justice for victims.
A third said they were prevented from doing so due to internal politics.
It comes after West Midlands Chief Constable Craig Guildford admitted his forces relied on misinformation generated by Microsoft Copilot, an artificial intelligence tool, when making the controversial decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending a Europa League match against Aston Villa last year.
