Story perspectives

UK Police Push Law to Force Remote Stolen Phone Disabling

6/11/2026

Summary

Rowley Pushes Law

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley urged Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to draft a law forcing smartphone makers to disable stolen phones.
London records 200-300 phone thefts daily, about 75 percent of England and Wales’ total, with police identifying a gang that exported 40,000 stolen devices.
The Met shares theft data with Apple for remote disabling, although Apple’s OS still permits reactivation.
Phone-theft incidents dropped 18 percent (14,000) between June 2025 and May 2026.

Summary

Met Police Pursue

Met police use e-bikes, drones and live facial-recognition to chase thieves.
Home Office allows warrant-less searches when stolen phones are located electronically.
London mayor Sadiq Khan urges kill-switches and cloud blocks on stolen phones.
Apple senior vice-president Kate Adams says upgrades aim to keep users safe.
FOI data show 13,998 of 587,498 stolen London phones were recovered and suspects identified in 6.9 % of robberies.

History

Historical Context

Britain’s Computer Misuse Act, passed in 1990 after the Gold-Schifreen case, gave authorities power to compel tech firms to assist investigations. Amendments in 2004, 2006 and 2015 broadened offences and penalties, and a 2020 CyberUp survey reported 80 % of security professionals feared breaking the law. The Home Office and National Crime Agency now cite the Act when urging mandatory remote-disable features for devices.

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Rowley Pushes Law

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley urged Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to draft a law forcing smartphone makers to disable stolen phones.
London records 200-300 phone thefts daily, about 75 percent of England and Wales’ total, with police identifying a gang that exported 40,000 stolen devices.
The Met shares theft data with Apple for remote disabling, although Apple’s OS still permits reactivation.
Phone-theft incidents dropped 18 percent (14,000) between June 2025 and May 2026.

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