Mobile Phone Theft

HC Deb 10 November 2003 vol 413 c106W

Mr. Rosindell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of reported street crime involved the theft of mobile phones in each of the London boroughs in 2002–03. [136473]

Ms Blears

The Home Office does not centrally collect or collate national statistics on the numbers of mobile phone thefts as mobile phone theft is not a separate crime category. Mobile phone theft crime figures are included within the crime categories of robbery, snatch theft and theft from the person.

Home Office Research ("Mobile Phone Theft", HORS 235) published in January 2002 estimated that mobile phones were stolen in 28 per cent. of all robberies in 2000–01. The Metropolitan Police Service estimate that around 50 per cent. of street crime in London involved the theft of a mobile phone.