Photo Credit: Getty Images
Tech giants Apple and Google have come under fire from UK police and Members of Parliament over their response to a surge in mobile phone theft, which is increasingly linked to violent crime in London.
During a Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee hearing, senior Metropolitan Police officials revealed that mobile phones now account for two-thirds of thefts in the capital. Assistant Commissioner James Conway said phone-related robberies are significantly driving violence, with up to 70% of knife crime linked to robbery.
The Met has called for stronger cooperation from tech companies, urging Apple and Google to support IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) blocking—using the phone’s unique identifier to render stolen devices inoperable, even overseas. But representatives from both firms raised concerns.
Apple’s Gary Davis, Head of Law Enforcement Requests, warned that relying solely on IMEI blocking could open new avenues for fraud. “We worry that there is a vector for fraud… where it would be a person who claims to be the owner who’s asking,” he said. He also highlighted a growing threat of malicious actors attempting to access stolen devices—over a thousand attempts monthly.
While UK networks already block IMEI numbers domestically, devices can still be used abroad. Met CTO Darren Scates noted that 75% of stolen phones are exported, with 28% ending up in China or Hong Kong. He urged cloud providers to block stolen devices from accessing services globally—a measure the Met has advocated since October 2023 with no progress.
MPs expressed frustration at what they saw as tech firms stalling. Lib Dem MP Martin Wrigley challenged both companies: “You could tomorrow stop phones on the IMEI blacklist connecting back to your services… and you won’t do it.”
Google’s Simon Wingrove countered, saying the issue needs an industry-wide approach and that engineers alone lack the authority to implement such sweeping changes.
Apple defended its new Activation Lock, which ties key components of devices to a user’s Apple ID, preventing stolen parts from being reused. Meanwhile, Google cited its Theft Detection Lock and ongoing enhancements to factory reset protections in Android.
Still, MPs remained unimpressed. “It feels to a lot of people that you’re dragging your feet,” said Conservative MP Kit Malthouse.
Davis maintained that Activation Lock is a “major step” but conceded that IMEI blocking might be the next logical move—provided traditional policing methods also improve.
