§ Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of robberies recorded by the police in each of the 10 robbery hotspots involved the theft of a mobile phone in the latest period for which figures are available. [73226]
§ Mr. DenhamCentrally the Home Office does not collect or collate statistics on mobile phone robberies or thefts. Individual police forces do not all routinely collect such figures either, however some do for their own purposes.
Home Office Research Study 235, deposited in the Library, dealt with mobile phone theft and robbery. Information was collected from six police forces on the number of thefts and robberies involving mobile phones for the period 1998–99 to 2000–01. Five of these forces are participating in the street crime initiative covering the 10 forces where the robbery problem is most acute. The proportion of robberies involving the theft of a mobile phone in these force areas is set out in the table.
Proportion of robberies involving mobile phones: 1998–99 to 2000–01 1998–99 per cent.
1999–2000 per cent.
2000–01 per cent.
Metropolitan Police 12 21 36 West Midlands 7 15 24 Avon and Somerset 4 11 20 Greater Manchester 5 11 20 Lancashire 3 8 13 Source:
Harrington V., and Mayhew, P. (2001). Mobile Phone Theft. Home Office Research Study 235