FEATURE: Is a spike in London phone thefts causing alarm?
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By Elspeth Chapman, Niamh Hatfield, Lilly Fryer and Maria Caires
Phone theft in London has reached alarming new heights, with 116,000 thefts in 2024 alone, the highest number on record. The issue has left residents, business owners, and the police scrambling for solutions as organised crime groups appear to be overtaking the local streets.
On 3rd September 2025, the Finsbury Park Safer Neighbourhood Team made a significant breakthrough when they recovered 32 stolen phones from two suspects believed to be handling and reselling stolen devices. The arrests are part of a wider police crackdown on phone thieves, highlighting how widespread and persistent the issue has become.
Photo of a tech shop on Holloway Road. Image: Niamh Hatfield
Despite efforts from the police, many Londoners remain sceptical about whether the problem is truly being tackled. Ana, a 16-year-old living in London, said that “I haven’t seen anything personally, but I always try to be careful.
“If my phone was stolen, I wouldn’t chase them, I’d just cut my losses.” This has been a big problem as people have been hesitant to report the crimes as they believe that nothing will get done.
This sense of hopelessness is a growing concern for authorities and campaigners. Kate Johnston, Director of Business Development at Crimestoppers, highlighted the impact of these crimes, “Mobile phone theft is not just a statistic, it’s a crime that leaves people feeling vulnerable and shaken”.
In response to this escalating issue, initiatives are being introduced to help combat phone theft in public spaces. According to Currys, Ed Connolly, Chief Commercial Officer, said “Enough is enough. It’s time to draw the line on phone theft, that’s why we’ve launched the Mind the Grab campaign: a bold pavement marking we believe can make a real difference by encouraging people to step back from the kerb.”
Meanwhile, phone shop owners are feeling the pressure as their stores become frequent targets of attacks. On the busy stretch of Holloway Road, independent retailers have had put in extra security measures to protect their stock.
Harry, a shop owner, explained, “We’ve installed CCTV to cover every corner of the shop, and I keep the high‑value handsets locked in a cabinet and remove them each night.” He added, “It’s sad we have to watch our own back when we’re just trying to serve customers.”
As thefts continue to rise and public confidence wobbles, the question remains, is enough being done to stop the surge in mobile phone crime, or is London heading toward a much deeper crisis?
