Met deploys drones and ebikes to help catch adolescent phone thieves | Metropolitan police

Police say gangs are recruiting children to steal smartphones before they go to school and are using Snapchat to offer rewards of up to £380 for the latest Apple iPhones.

The Metropolitan police said they were using new resources including drones and Surron e-bikes to chase suspects as they stepped up the fight against phone snatching.

London is the area with the highest number of phone thefts in Britain and the Met has been criticized for its response.

Police said thefts fell 12 per cent to 71,000 last year, but commissioner Mark Rowley wants tech companies, particularly Apple, to do more to make it harder to reactivate phones when they are stolen and sent overseas.

Gangs are using Snapchat to advertise a menu of cash rewards for different models of stolen mobile phones, encouraging 15-year-olds on bikes to pose as thieves.

The gangs are offering the most money for the latest Apple phones, which the Met believe are less protected and therefore easier to ship abroad and reactivate for markets in the Gulf and China.

Samsung phones are worth less because they are harder to reactivate for use abroad, the Met said.

When phones are stolen, child thieves message a “handler” on Snapchat to arrange a drop-off. An extra £100 bonus is offered if 10 or more stolen phones are turned in at once.

In one recent case, police said a teenager set out on a bicycle early in the morning and attacked passengers passing through London’s main transport hub before heading to school.

A Snapchat advert seized by police offered offers as low as £380 for the iPhone 16 Max, £220 for the iPhone 15 and £20 for the iPhone 12.

Rowley said courts could help further by stopping bail for repeat offenders. In a recent incident, police said 12 teenagers were arrested and charged with phone theft. Some were released on bail the next day and were suspected of stealing phones again within 24 hours of their arrest.

Rowley said: “Police alone cannot solve this problem. Manufacturers and technology companies must do more to stop criminals from resetting, reusing or reselling stolen phones.”

“We also need the courts to play their part by preventing repeat offenders from being granted bail only to go out and reoffend, undermining the hard work officers do to keep communities safe.”

The Met said the drones would help it target known criminals and track suspects as they flee, with a particular focus on London’s West End, the capital’s main hub of phone theft, where tourists are seen as easier targets by thieves.

The Met hopes Surron e-bikes, used by specially trained officers, will help officers catch young suspects on bikes.

Police also stated that live facial recognition technology has played a role in catching criminals and will continue to be used.

London mayor Sadiq Khan said his administration was pumping an extra £4.5 million into a new command centre.

“Too many Londoners have fallen victim to phone theft and I am determined to stamp it out,” Khan said.

“We have made real progress in reducing high volume crime – but I am aware of the personal impact of mobile phone theft and how horrific it is to have someone’s photos, contacts, messages and personal information stolen.

“I am pleased to offer an additional £4.5 million to help the Metropolitan Police crack down on phone gangs, with a new police command cell focused on taking out gang bosses as well as robbers and purse snatchers.”