NEW YORK, October 15. /TASS/. London is witnessing a sharp rise in smartphone thefts. The New York Times reported that in 2024, a record 80,000 devices were stolen across the city, up from 64,000 in 2023, prompting authorities to initiate a large-scale operation against criminal networks.

The publication stated that thieves on electric bikes snatch phones from pedestrians, after which the devices are smuggled overseas through a network of stores. During recent raids, police confiscated about 2,000 stolen phones and Ј200,000 ($267,000) in cash. Suspected ringleaders of the criminal network, who used aluminum foil to block tracking signals, were arrested.

Experts attribute the spike in crime to reduced funding for British law enforcement in the 2010s and the widespread use of electric bikes, which have become a perfect tool for quick escapes. As highlighted by Emmeline Taylor, Professor of Criminology at the University of London, petty criminals are operating with near impunity.

London police acknowledged that only a fraction of thefts lead to prosecutions: out of 106,000 reported cases in a year, charges were filed against only 495 suspects.