Police to be allowed to search properties without warrant for stolen phones in England and Wales

Under the bill, police could enter somewhere if location tagging shows that a stolen item is there and it is ‘not practicable’ to get a warrant. Photograph: Maksym Yemelyanov/Alamy

Police will be able to search properties without a warrant for stolen phones or other electronically geotagged items under the government’s crime and policing bill.

The measure is among dozens in the bill, which will be put before parliament on Tuesday and would mostly apply to England and Wales. It has a particular focus on lower-level offences such as theft and wider antisocial behaviour.