London Became a Global Hub for Phone Theft. Now We Know Why. (nytimes.com) 133
London police finally understand why 80,000 phones disappeared from the city's streets last year. The answer involves budget cuts [non-paywalled source] that hollowed out British policing in the 2010s, the arrival of electric bikes that made theft easy, and a lucrative black market in China where stolen British phones retain full functionality. The Metropolitan Police discovered an industrial-scale operation in December when officers traced a woman's iPhone to a Heathrow warehouse on Christmas Eve. Boxes labeled as batteries and bound for Hong Kong contained almost 1,000 stolen iPhones. The police arrested two men in their thirties in September as suspected ringleaders of a group that sent up to 40,000 stolen phones to China.
The epidemic took root after Conservative-led austerity measures reduced police numbers and budgets. In 2017 the Metropolitan Police announced it would stop investigating low-level crimes to focus resources on serious violence and sexual offenses. Thieves on rented electric bikes began mounting sidewalks to snatch phones at high speed while wearing balaclavas and hoods. Police data shows only 495 people were charged out of 106,000 phones reported stolen between March 2024 and February 2025. Thieves earn up to $401 per device. The phones sell for up to $5,000 in China because Chinese network providers do not subscribe to the international blacklist for stolen devices.
The epidemic took root after Conservative-led austerity measures reduced police numbers and budgets. In 2017 the Metropolitan Police announced it would stop investigating low-level crimes to focus resources on serious violence and sexual offenses. Thieves on rented electric bikes began mounting sidewalks to snatch phones at high speed while wearing balaclavas and hoods. Police data shows only 495 people were charged out of 106,000 phones reported stolen between March 2024 and February 2025. Thieves earn up to $401 per device. The phones sell for up to $5,000 in China because Chinese network providers do not subscribe to the international blacklist for stolen devices.
This is like SF (Score:1, Informative)
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
which is exactly how 'our' authorities skew the stats so they look better while doing worse, welcome to authoritarianism
it's all a classist whitewash
Re:This is like SF (Score:5, Insightful)
No, this is classic conservative politics, first reduce the budget for services in order to give tax breaks which will get you reelected, then when things go to shit because there's no money blame the liberals for (excuse of your choice).
People as a group are stupid. They elect people who promise to reduce their taxes, then when taxes are lower and the streets are full of potholes and crime is on the rise because there aren't enough attorneys to prosecute offenders they don't understand why.
Taxes are the admission price for living in civilization. Want clean water, food and meds that won't kill you, bridges that don't collapse, reliable electricity, and for your shit to disappear when you flush then you're going to have to pay taxes. Don't want to pay taxes? Go move to Somalia. I personally LIKE civilization, and vote for pretty much every tax hike on the ballot.
Re: (Score:2)
No no, they were following another agenda: "Defund the police", and that way before George Floyd.
Of course the Daily Nail positions them as the party of Law and Order.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:This is like SF (Score:5, Insightful)
If we had been given the choice (which we weren't in the Puget Sound region) I'd have voted to defund SWAT and the purchase of military war toys entirely, and raise funding for local community policing and have officers who actually walk a beat again. Oh, and get rid of the frelling Israeli contract trainers teaching cops to respond to any resistance with overwhelming violence. (They only had one of those training sessions here, but other places in the country still bring them in regularly.)
Re: (Score:2)
What? Show me a conservative political party that advocates for less police and more lenient laws regarding theft. They may promote small government, but that never includes police/military.
Re: (Score:2)
pseudo-conservatism, real conservatives live conservatively
it's defund authoritarianism and refund our social safety net
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
I'd recommend you log out of The Daily Caller and Free Republic and never go back. None of that is true.
Re:This is like SF (Score:4, Informative)
The fake number you mean is $950, and this is provably false - it was not decriminalized. https://factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com.36249VK [afp.com]
Re:Okay (Score:5, Informative)
Thanks for illustrating how completely made up shit to push a political agenda happens on both sides of the Atlantic.
Re:idiot (Score:4, Interesting)
Re: (Score:2)
Well, since you're an AC you could live in Rio de Janiero and claim you live wherever the frack you want. Convenient.
Re: (Score:2)
Not all of us are ashamed of our opinions, even the ones we change over time. YMMV
Re: (Score:2)
Uh, I live just North of SF. I took my mom there for mother's Day in fact. The bulk of what you are saying is most definitely not true.
Re: (Score:2)
You do know that prison was closed because it was incredibly expensive to operate. No? Ignorance is bliss I guess.
Re: This is like SF (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
It works where I am as well, that AC should tell us where he is trying to follow that link, that would give us a clue who is blocking https://factcheck.afp.com/ [afp.com]
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
From Canada, I get,
Access Denied
You don't have permission to access "http://factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com.36249VK" on this server.
Reference #18.65951eb8.1761095569.49bead6a
https://errors.edgesuite.net/1... [edgesuite.net]
Similar from https://factcheck.afp.com/ [afp.com] Following the errors.edgesuite.net link, I get,
Uh oh! Something went wrong with the previous request.
If you navigated here, it's because the previous request experienced an error. If you are the site owner, you can use the Translate Error String tool to investigate this further. This is located on the control center under:
Hamburger menu > SUPPORT > Edge Diagnostics.
Weird
Re:This is like SF (Score:5, Insightful)
It was not.
Basically the self-professed right wing "party of law and order" decided to slash the budget for the police and justice system.
Also don't forget that the MET are also useless dickbags who would rather mass arrest grannies holding signs because it's easy than arrest criminals that actually matter. No, they aren't obliged to, other police forces have chosen not to. Every experience from the MET has been neutral, mediocre or just plain bad. I've actually seen Simpsons level shit play out before my eyes in real time.
But the main fault lies with the right wing Tory party.
Re: (Score:2)
Also don't forget that the MET are also useless dickbags who would rather mass arrest grannies holding signs because it's easy than arrest criminals that actually matter.
The MET would not rather anything. The reality is chasing long gone fleeting criminals is a significantly different task than someone who is publicly advertising their criminal behaviour and announcing it in advance.
Now you may not agree with the anti-protest laws (I sure as fuck don't), but the reality is laws are laws and breaking them has defined punishment associated with it. Maybe I'm more on the side of the MET than the police forces who decide to not uphold the law as written. It's not a nice situati
Re: (Score:3)
The problem is the cops only have so many resources to enforce laws and have to pick and choose which laws they enforce. Think of all the driving infractions that happen, all the cops can do is pick the worst and enforce. Today I was listening to the radio talking about kids getting injured on electric scooters. Many of these scooters are illegal (over powered, not speed limited, etc), as well as being driven in an illegal manner. The cops admit they simply do not have the resources to enforce these laws. A
Re: (Score:2)
It was not.
Basically the self-professed right wing "party of law and order" decided to slash the budget for the police and justice system.
Also don't forget that the MET are also useless dickbags who would rather mass arrest grannies holding signs because it's easy than arrest criminals that actually matter. No, they aren't obliged to, other police forces have chosen not to. Every experience from the MET has been neutral, mediocre or just plain bad. I've actually seen Simpsons level shit play out before my eyes in real time.
But the main fault lies with the right wing Tory party.
I don't disagree with your points and it shows the UK is still a free and fair country that we're permitted to criticise our politicians and police without an unidentifiable cosplay agent arresting us for being immigrants (although some people would love that to happen with the complete lack of self awareness that a police state will also be turned against them) but I digress.
I think a large part of the problem is that the UK has become such a safe environment that people are no longer or no longer feel
Re:This is like SF (Score:4, Insightful)
so this should be fixed ricky ticky, no?
The Tories slashed spending, and eviscerated investment at a time of record low interest rates, shat on the economy with Brexit, then did it again with Truss then made a bunch of unfunded legislation as their last "fuck you" act in parliament before losing the election. It's going to take decades to fix a mess that was decades in the making. It might not really be fixable. Not all Tory messes are.
Not that Starmer is up to fixing it, but that's another problem entirely. He's still better than Badenoch or Farage. Low praise.
Re: This is like SF (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Whaaat! Why are you talking Britain down. It's the will of the people! The advisory referendum is mandatory, but the rules for mandatory ones don't apply! Johnny foreigner will give us everything we want and more for free for no reason! Somehow erecting trade barriers will reduce red tape!
Re: (Score:2)
so this should be fixed ricky ticky, no?
The Tories slashed spending, and eviscerated investment at a time of record low interest rates, shat on the economy with Brexit, then did it again with Truss then made a bunch of unfunded legislation as their last "fuck you" act in parliament before losing the election. It's going to take decades to fix a mess that was decades in the making. It might not really be fixable. Not all Tory messes are.
Not that Starmer is up to fixing it, but that's another problem entirely. He's still better than Badenoch or Farage. Low praise.
The problem is, there are still some people who didn't think Brexit and the Tories kicked the UK in the bollocks hard enough and want Farage to do it again and again.
Whilst the Tories needed to go, Starmer is a lame duck and Labour really needs to up their game. It is funny watching Starmer have a fit whenever Andy Burnham pokes his head out of Manchester.
Re: (Score:2)
Starmer is a lame duck
Oh FML, how did we end up with that clown. He doesn't appear to stand for everything except a kind of vague authoritarianism with him in charge. But not even for traditional reasons like massive self enrichment, or a desire to bend the world to his will. He has no apparent guiding principles at all which means he has no idea which way to go on any given issue, no reason for any decisions he does make and no overall coherent direction.
It's the dead rat on a stick effect. A dead rat on a
Big nothingburger (Score:2)
Before Prop 47, shoplifting items valued under $400 was a misdemeanor, so still a crime. After Prop 47, the line was moved to $950 before it became a felony.
Many states have thier line somewhere between these two points and are likely to peroidically push that up to at least match inflation.
Re: (Score:2)
Good luck with that, over a quarter of the FBI's agents, and up to 40% in the larger offices, are assigned to arrest those dangerous dishwashers, landscapers and housekeepers who don't have a work permit now. Apparently the Feds are more interested in restoring those high-paying jobs for strawberry pickers and burger flippers to "Real 'MURKINS", since crime is at the lowest level now that it's been in decades.
Hard to believe (Score:5, Insightful)
From the summary: "The phones sell for up to $5,000 in China because Chinese network providers do not subscribe to the international blacklist for stolen devices."
I have a difficult time believing that sort of price. Frankly I have a difficult time believing even half the price of a brand new phone for a used phone regardless of provenance, unless the stolen phones lack Chinese government spyware or unless the Chinese government heavily restricts the purchase of phones to the point that getting a new device is next to impossible.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:3)
Cop math. Like when they would claim a single weed plant was $100,000 in street value.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
Because your stolen phone isn't the manufacturer's problem.
It just needs you to buy a new phone.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Might mean 5,000 yuan, about 600 Euro or USD. For a high end 1,600 Euro iPhone or foldable, maybe.
I don't think the blacklists matter anyway, they can unlock and factory reset iPhones. With that level of control, it wouldn't be hard to change the IMEI.
Re: (Score:2)
From the summary: "The phones sell for up to $5,000 in China because Chinese network providers do not subscribe to the international blacklist for stolen devices."
I have a difficult time believing that sort of price.
Would you believe $30? https://youtu.be/Kbti-RGSVrg?t... [youtu.be]
Re: (Score:1)
China probably has the eSIM configuration tool. Heck, half of our shopping mall phone kiosks have it too.
iCloud lock doesn't work in China? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re: (Score:1)
I have yet to see an "Apple feature" on my wife's iToy which wasn't more of an obstruction than a useful tool, much less one that we would consider "essential". Hell, I just wish the frelling thing would keep the "Don't synch with iCloud" setting that we have to reset every six weeks or so, every time she starts getting spammed with "iCloud out of storage, buy more" we know that we have to redo the setting and delete everything from the stupid cloud account yet again.
Re: (Score:3)
I can see several potential explanations: 1) Chinese people can factory-reset iphones through accomplices who have access to original Apple tools and software from the Apple factory in China;
2) The network is hermetic and there is no connection between the Apple user accounts used in China and elsewhere;
3) Apple does not want to interfere with an accepted practice in China implicitly approved by the CCP. (They saw what happened to NVidia.)
Re: iCloud lock doesn't work in China? (Score:2)
https://support.apple.com/en-us/111754
It's one of those things you have to do to sell in China. You have to give up your users privacy, and Apple was quick to offer that up for the Chinese market.
Steal from the best. (Score:3)
The phones sell for up to $5,000 in China because Chinese network providers do not subscribe to the international blacklist for stolen devices.
Kind of ironic in a country that makes the darn things.
Re: (Score:2)
And not really believable, especially since much better domestically manufactured phones are available for 10% of that price.
Re: (Score:2)
Kind of ironic in a country that makes the darn things.
Wonder what it's like in a Chinese Wal-Mart? "Hey! I made that yesterday!"
Let's not forget (Score:5, Insightful)
Let's not forget arresting 30 people a day for offensive speech crimes.
https://freespeechunion.org/po... [freespeechunion.org]
Re: (Score:2)
no, no.... "Conservative-led austerity measures" is what NY Times says. Not a bunch of police showing up on people's doors to talk about "non-crime hate incidents".
Re: (Score:2)
What if two things can be true?
Re: Let's not forget (Score:2)
But the same policeman cannot be at two places at once.
Re: (Score:3)
As director of public prosecutions, Sir Keir Starmer issued Crown Prosecution Service guidance stating that offensive social media messages should only lead to prosecution in “extreme circumstances”.
Analysis of government data shows that the number of convictions and sentencings for communications offences has dramatically decreased over the past decade.
From elsewhere:
The Met police have said they will no longer investigate non-crime hate incidents as the Father Ted co-creator Graham Linehan was informed that no further action would be taken after his arrest over social media posts. [theguardian.com]
Personally I'm not sure about that one since he literally called for violence against trans people, but it is what it is.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Now if they had been protesting genocide outside the Israeli embassy they'd be prosecuted to the end of time.
Re: (Score:1, Troll)
Re: (Score:2)
How is saying "From the River to the Sea all people will be free" imply a genocide? You hasbara-spouters always leave off the second half of that phrase. Really, if you spend two seconds thinking about it claiming that the only way that Jews can live in peace is if they eliminate every non-believer in their territory is quite anti-Semitic. In the rest of the world, including places like Iran and Indonesia, Jews live just fine as standard members of society with minimal to no friction. Only in Israel do
Re: (Score:2)
In the rest of the world, including places like Iran and Indonesia, Jews live just fine as standard members of society with minimal to no friction. Only in Israel do they believe that everyone else must be exterminated for them to live freely, it's a sick, sick society.
Your sig definitely applies to yourself with this post. Strong ignorance distorts your judgement.
Israel isn't trying to eliminate all Muslims. They aren't even trying to remove Muslims from their own army.
Re: (Score:2)
Israel is full of great human beings.
Unfortunately, it's also run by some of the worst on the planet.
Likud's 1977 manifesto calls for direct Israeli sovereignty from the River To The Sea.
Since there are more Muslims than Jews in that geographical area, what do you think Likud was really calling for?
Now, if we don't grant them the benefit of the doubt that Likud was... lol... calling for a multiethnic state w
Re: (Score:2)
Greater Israel, Democracy, or Jewish majority. Pick two.
Re: (Score:2)
They're evil motherfuckers. Do you consider that an unobjective assessment?
I'm clear-eyed about the problem- and your "conventional Israeli wisdom" indeed perfectly touches on the problem that ordinary Israelis find themselves in.
Likud's solution to that problem is the evil at play.
Re: (Score:2)
Try the country with the single largest Muslim population on the planet, Indonesia.
Re: (Score:2)
I mean if you're chanting things like "from the river to the sea", how are you not advocating for genocide yourself?
An excellent question, child.
The phrase, and even the concept arises from the 1977 Likud manifesto.
Let that sink in.
Re: (Score:2)
Linehan is still on trial (currently paused due to availability of witnesses) for harassing a child and damaging her phone. He doesn't just advocate violence against trans people, he practices it.
They have more important things (Score:5, Informative)
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Conversion Error Shows How Shit New York Times Is. (Score:5, Insightful)
the phones are NOT selling for $5,000
iPhones can go for around ¥5,000 (US$700)
Accuracy matters. This story has little and thus lacks credibility.
Currency conversions (Score:5, Insightful)
Oofda, that was some brainfart-induced whiplash. I'm used to seeing ¥ used for Japanese yen, not Chinese yuan / Renminbi, and at first I was gobsmacked at what had happened to the exchange rate. Then in my foggy morning brain, I rediscovered this thing called "Context" and realized I was tuned into the wrong channel.
JPY ¥5,000 ~ USD $32.91, at ¥1 ~ $0.0066 (two-thirds of a penny)
RMB ¥5,000 ~ USD $702.02, at ¥1 ~ $0.14
... I should go get some coffee.
China has no rule of law (Score:2)
As long as the criminal gangs mostly hurt internationally and don't threaten the government, Chinese totalitarians not only allow but encourage such behavior.
Re: (Score:2)
Way to tell us you only read the MSM, without just coming out and saying it. I bet you think Russia's economy is about to collapse too.
Re: (Score:2)
You mean the CCP doesn't encourage or otherwise condone thus sort of crime by criminal gangs? Not quite sure what you're getting at.
Re: (Score:2)
I dunno wtf you're reading that makes you think Russia's economy is healthy.
Re: (Score:1)
Try the World Bank for a start.
Poverty index:
Russian Federation 0.1
United States 1.2
GDP Growth:
RF 4.3%
US 2.8%
Unemployment:
RF 2.5%
US 4.1%
Government debt % of GDP
RF 18.%
US 114.8%
In a number of aspects they're doing better than we are. (Yeah, that's cherry picked, obviously, but nothing there looks like 'immanent collapse'.)
Re: (Score:1)
LOL. That's not in any way reflective on russia's economy.
Russia: “In Russia, wage arrears increased by 18.6% in September.”
That’s an 18.6% increase IN A MONTH
russia's interest rate is 17%
Russia: “Northern Russian regions have asked for budgetary assistance after residents complained about a lack of food and medicine.”
The food shortages are linked to “disruptions in food deliveries to remote areas” caused by lack of funds.
Meanwhile in Russia
“How to distinguish real butter from counterfeit: the 10-degree test and more”
what other country has counterfit butter...
Russia: “The Ministry of Finance has proposed granting the president the authority to regulate foreign exchange.”
And why do they suddenly need that?
Russia: “"The situation is dire." Six Russian regions have spent almost all their reserves and are on the brink of budget collapse.”
And a lot more than that are in significant trouble!
etc etc
Defunding (Score:3, Insightful)
after Conservative-led austerity measures reduced police numbers and budgets
So defunding police is bad when iphone safety is jeopardized.
mmmkay.
From a BBC story [bbc.com] about the "two men in their thirties"
The men, both Afghan nationals in their 30s...
Big surprised face, again---> :|
Re: (Score:2)
You're confusing distant sides of transatlantic politics and confused about what defunfing the police entails.
The police don't need money to buy military surplus toys so they can lob flash band grenades at babies heads. That money is better spent on social programmes to reduce the causes of crime. It's much better value for money. But also that's largely an American thing. London you may have noticed is in Ontario, er I mean the other London. In the UK.
Re: (Score:1)
I'm not "confused" about any of this. Don't confuse fictional confusion for you're own double standards and cognitive dissonance.
Re: (Score:2)
I'm not "confused" about any of this.
Yes, you are. You're whining about American slogans in response to a British problem. Your response to the right wing demonstrably fucking things up is whining about American liberals.
And secondly, defunding the police is about spending that money on the root causes of crime, which is cheaper ad more effective.
Re: (Score:2)
defunding the police is about
Defunding police is a about enabling anarchy. The rest is the shit they feed you—and you willingly lap up—to rationalize this.
Re: (Score:2)
Defunding police is a about enabling anarchy.
No, you're full of shit.
On the right, definding the police is about tax breaks and kickbacks for the rich.
On the left, it's the sound fiscal argument that diverting money from the police to things that tackle the underlying causes of crime is much more effective.
The shit you're lapping up about anarchy is thought free culture war nonsense.
Defund the police (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: (Score:1)
Defunding the police doesn't mean what you think it does.
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Defund the police (Score:5, Insightful)
All joking aside, a few years ago defunding the police was a policy that was seriously pushed in many cities throughout the US. A few actually tried it. Not only did it have the rather obvious effect of increasing crime rates
Except you are incorrect about the result. https://247wallst.com/special-... [247wallst.com]
The results are not cut and dry in either direction but the cities that did the best are the ones that used to the money to help the poor. It's almost like failing to address to need of the poor is a surefire way to drive crime. Of course, that kind of insight requires critical thinking which is something you may not be familiar with.
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
Agreed.
Re: (Score:2)
Shipping batteries into China? (Score:1)
Re: Shipping batteries into China? (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
They have to be careful of their routing for the shipping containers, Hong Kong and Dubai, two of the busiest ports in the world, check 100% of containers. In the US it's still below 5%, or the same percentage as in 2000. This is the reason why most of the illegal drugs entering the country come in cargo containers (plus the almost trivial cost of suborning Customs officers), as well as tens of thousands of immigrants. Put a ton of coke in a container or semi trailer and there's a 95% chance it will be d
$5000 iPhone? (Score:3)
This entire article is suspect.
iPhones in China cost about $1000 or less.
Why would anyone pay $5000 for and used dodgy iPhone when you can get a new one for much less?
Why doesn't Apple block them? (Score:2)
For Android phone producers I'll just chalk it up to laziness, but Apple would be easily able to block phones themselves.
Has China ordered them to allow stolen phones?
Budget cuts hollowed out British policing? (Score:3)
Bullshit. British police have been very busy policing thought crimes, hate speech, and mean tweets. They are nothing more than hall monitors. If you want to stop crime then fire the current lot of nannies with a badge, staff up with real law enforcement officers, and go after actual criminals.
Is the answer Russia? (Score:2)
It always is.