London is experiencing a high number of phone thefts, with only a small percentage of devices being recovered. Reuters
London is experiencing a high number of phone thefts, with only a small percentage of devices being recovered. Reuters
London is experiencing a high number of phone thefts, with only a small percentage of devices being recovered. Reuters
London is experiencing a high number of phone thefts, with only a small percentage of devices being recovered. Reuters

Phone stolen every six minutes in London, with recovery rate at 2%


Marwa Hassan
  • English
  • Arabic

A phone is reported stolen in London every six minutes, according to figures released by the Metropolitan Police.

Between January 1 and August 17 last year, there were 54,159 reports of phone theft, which averages 237 a day.

However, only two per cent of these reported thefts resulted in the recovery of the device.

The Metropolitan Police say policing the crime is "difficult," and that "daily operations" continue to take place.

The boroughs of Westminster, Camden, Southwark and Hackney had the highest reported thefts, with Westminster having the worst numbers. The boroughs of Bexley saw the fewest reported thefts.

Recovery rates are equally low across the city, with key areas like Westminster, Hackney and Camden all below the London-wide average.

In January this year, there were more than 8,500 reports of stolen phones, but only 119 devices were returned to their owners.

The rate for phone theft was called "unacceptable and unsustainable" by the independent inspector of police forces, His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services.

Victims of phone theft in London have reported being able to track their stolen devices to different countries but with no further contact from the authorities. Photo: Yui Mok
Victims of phone theft in London have reported being able to track their stolen devices to different countries but with no further contact from the authorities. Photo: Yui Mok

HMCIFRS Chief Inspector Andy Cooke said that "phone theft is not a minor crime, it strikes at the heart of how safe people feel in their own communities.

"There needs to be a concerted drive to address this because it directly affects the public's confidence in the police's ability to keep them safe."

The BBC spoke to several people who reported their phone stolen to the police but never got it recovered.

Sharon Browne-Peter had her phone snatched out of her hand by a man on a bike while waiting for a bus in Islington.

Despite ringing the police immediately, she said the police told her to go home and "there was nothing they could do at this point".

She managed to track the location of her phone and rang the police countless times, but they told her that there were hundreds of cases at that same address but there's nothing they can really do. Since then, she has felt less safe in London.

Similarly, Georgina Banham was robbed by a man on a bicycle in Walworth, south London, as she chatted on the phone with her father.

She filled in the Met's 'Report a Crime' page online, but only received "an automated do-not-reply email and a case number, no one ever phoned," she said.

Ms Banham was also able to track her phone's location as it moved from London to Dubai and then to Shenzhen in China, but there was no further contact from the authorities. "My trust in the police is non-existent," she said.

The Met has seen increased incidents of phone theft involving motorcycles, mopeds and bicycles, with more than 40 reports of bike-based thefts a day last year.

The police have advised victims to contact them as soon as a robbery occurs, as the "Golden Hour" after a robbery is critical to catching robbers. However, the number of reported thefts continues to rise, and with low recovery rates, victims are left feeling helpless and violated.

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Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
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Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital

A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro
Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books 

Results

Female 49kg: Mayssa Bastos (BRA) bt Thamires Aquino (BRA); points 0-0 (advantage points points 1-0).

Female 55kg: Bianca Basilio (BRA) bt Amal Amjahid (BEL); points 4-2.

Female 62kg: Beatriz Mesquita (BRA) v Ffion Davies (GBR); 10-2.

Female 70kg: Thamara Silva (BRA) bt Alessandra Moss (AUS); submission.

Female 90kg: Gabreili Passanha (BRA) bt Claire-France Thevenon (FRA); submission.

Male 56kg: Hiago George (BRA) bt Carlos Alberto da Silva (BRA); 2-2 (2-0)

Male 62kg: Gabriel de Sousa (BRA) bt Joao Miyao (BRA); 2-2 (2-1)

Male 69kg: Paulo Miyao (BRA) bt Isaac Doederlein (USA); 2-2 (2-2) Ref decision.

Male 77kg: Tommy Langarkar (NOR) by Oliver Lovell (GBR); submission.

Male 85kg: Rudson Mateus Teles (BRA) bt Faisal Al Ketbi (UAE); 2-2 (1-1) Ref decision.

Male 94kg: Kaynan Duarte (BRA) bt Adam Wardzinski (POL); submission.

Male 110kg: Joao Rocha (BRA) bt Yahia Mansoor Al Hammadi (UAE); submission.

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Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6

Power: 450hp

Torque: 700Nm

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1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

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England v South Africa schedule
  • First Test: Starts Thursday, Lord's, 2pm (UAE)
  • Second Test: July 14-18, Trent Bridge, Nottingham, 2pm
  • Third Test: The Oval, London, July 27-31, 2pm
  • Fourth Test: Old Trafford, Manchester, August 4-8
The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

RESULT

Esperance de Tunis 1 Guadalajara 1 
(Esperance won 6-5 on penalties)
Esperance: Belaili 38’
Guadalajara: Sandoval 5’

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Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 563hp @ 5,000rpm

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Fuel economy, combined: 15L / 100km

The specs

Engine: 5.2-litre V10

Power: 640hp at 8,000rpm

Torque: 565Nm at 6,500rpm

Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto

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MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg

Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).

Second leg

Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm

Games on BeIN Sports

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THE SPECS

      

 

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Transmission: 6-speed automatic

 

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MATCH INFO

Manchester United v Manchester City, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)

Match is on BeIN Sports

RESULTS

5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m
Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Fernando Jara (jockey), Ahmed Al Mehairbi (trainer)

5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: AF Seven Skies, Bernardo Pinheiro, Qais Aboud

6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: Almahroosa, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel

6.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: AF Sumoud, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel

7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner: AF Majalis, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel

7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Adventurous, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe

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Recharge as needed, says Mat Dryden: “We try to make it a rule that every two to three months, even if it’s for four days, we get away, get some time together, recharge, refresh.” The couple take an hour a day to check into their businesses and that’s it.

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Pull your weight, says Thuymi Do: “To do what we do, there definitely can be no lazy member of the team.” 

The specs

Engine: 5.0-litre V8

Power: 480hp at 7,250rpm

Torque: 566Nm at 4,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: L/100km

Price: Dh306,495

On sale: now

Bharatanatyam

A ancient classical dance from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Intricate footwork and expressions are used to denote spiritual stories and ideas.

Bangladesh tour of Pakistan

January 24 – First T20, Lahore

January 25 – Second T20, Lahore

January 27 – Third T20, Lahore

February 7-11 – First Test, Rawalpindi

April 3 – One-off ODI, Karachi

April 5-9 – Second Test, Karachi

Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

Classification from Tour de France after Stage 17

1. Chris Froome (Britain / Team Sky) 73:27:26"

2. Rigoberto Uran (Colombia / Cannondale-Drapac) 27"

3. Romain Bardet (France / AG2R La Mondiale)

4. Fabio Aru (Italy / Astana Pro Team) 53"

5. Mikel Landa (Spain / Team Sky) 1:24"

Updated: April 11, 2023, 12:48 PM`