MPs accuse Apple and Google of profiting from rise in phone thefts

The Met said there had been a ‘tentative reduction’ in phone thefts, probably partly due to users showing more caution. Photograph: Philip Toscano/PA

MPs have accused Apple and Google of profiting from multimillion-pound phone-snatching operations that police say are masterminded by organised crime gangs in Britain, Algeria and China.

In 2024, 80,000 phone devices of all kinds were stolen in London alone, up a quarter from 64,000 in 2023. The devices had a street value of about £20m, and iPhones made up the majority.