• London police executed the largest crackdown on phone theft, arresting 46 individuals.
• The gang reportedly smuggled nearly 40,000 stolen phones to China.
• Over 80,000 mobile phones were stolen in London in 2024, with major impacts on tourism.
• The investigation began with a tracked stolen iPhone, leading to the discovery of over 2,000 stolen devices.
• Specialist teams targeted both street-level thieves and organized crime networks involved in phone thefts.

London's Metropolitan Police have successfully disrupted a significant criminal enterprise linked to the smuggling of approximately 40,000 stolen mobile phones to China, marking this as the largest operation against phone theft in UK history. In total, 46 arrests were made during a wide-reaching investigation called Operation Echosteep, which commenced after police intercepted around 1,000 stolen iPhones near Heathrow Airport, destined for Hong Kong. According to BBC, the gang is believed responsible for importing around 40% of all mobile phone thefts in London.

As part of the investigative process, police recovered over 2,000 stolen devices from the homes and vehicles of suspects, including two Afghan nationals and a 29-year-old Indian national. Following the initial interception, subsequent raids were conducted on 28 properties across London and Hertfordshire, resulting in further arrests, primarily of women associated with the gang. The significant rise in phone thefts—up from less than 30,000 in 2020 to over 80,000 in 2024—highlights an increasing trend fueled by lucrative sales of devices in foreign markets, especially targeting high-demand brands like Apple. This information is corroborated by Reuters, Channel News Asia, and ABC News.

The Metropolitan Police have identified that street thieves earn up to £300 for each phone, which can be sold abroad for high prices between £3,700 and £5,000, especially given the appeal of such devices in markets like China where they can evade local censorship. London Mayor Sadiq Khan emphasized the scale of this operation, referring to it as "a coordinated campaign to tackle mobile phone crime." Additionally, he noted that targeted enforcement would address organized crime systematically. This cooperative effort is further highlighted in statements collected by India Times and SCMP.

The investigative efforts have been prompted by a marked increase in thefts happening on an "industrial scale," with many tourists victims of opportunistic snatchers who utilize electric bikes to quickly escape. The Metropolitan Police has stated that the number of phone thefts has nearly tripled, and they are actively implementing strategies to combat this surge. Despite criticism regarding the efficiency of response to such crimes, recent initiatives have resulted in a 13% decrease in theft and robbery rates in London within the first quarter of the year. Information from India Times and The Independent support these recent law enforcement claims.