Google and Apple lock horns with UK police over soaring mobile phone theft

Apple and Google are facing increasing pressure from the Metropolitan Police and MPs over how to tackle the surge in mobile phone thefts, which now account for a staggering two-thirds of all thefts in London.

The dispute highlights a growing divide on the most effective strategies to combat this escalating crime wave.

James Conway of the Met Police told the Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee that phone theft is “significantly driving parts of our violence problem,” with up to 70% of knife crime linked to robbery.

To counter this, the Met is advocating for phone companies to use each device’s unique IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number to permanently block any handset reported as stolen, rendering it unusable globally.

However, Apple and Google, who dominate the smartphone market, have voiced significant reservations about this approach. Gary Davis, Apple’s head of law enforcement requests, cautioned that “Focusing on IMEI blocking might miss some of the problems.”

He expressed concerns about potential fraud, stating: “We worry that there is a vector for fraud… we are concerned about a world where it would be a person who claims to be the owner who’s asking.”

Similarly, Google software engineering manager Simon Wingrove emphasized the need for an “industry-wide discussion” on altering the global IMEI database, which is currently managed by network carriers.

While stolen devices are already blocked from use within the UK by phone networks, criminals can often bypass device security and reactivate them in other countries. The Met’s chief technology officer, Darren Scates, revealed that 75% of stolen phones are moved abroad, with 28% ending up in China or Hong Kong.

He urged cloud providers to prevent lost or stolen devices from connecting to their services, a request he says has been unheeded since October 2023.

Some MPs openly accused the tech firms of being reluctant to act. Liberal Democrat MP Martin Wrigley stated: “You could tomorrow stop phones that are on the IMEI blacklist connecting back to your services if you so wished, both of you, and you won’t do it.”

Both companies, however, highlighted their recent security enhancements, such as Apple’s “Stolen Device Protection” and Android’s “Theft Detection Lock,” suggesting these are their primary defences.

Apple’s Davis stressed that “Activation Lock” is their “best protection,” arguing it disrupts the second-hand parts market. Despite the tech firms’ advancements, MPs like Kit Malthouse expressed frustration, feeling the companies were “dragging their feet” on IMEI blocking, given the estimated £50 million-a-year trade in stolen phones in London.