Police make 140 arrests in pre-Christmas crackdown on phone theft in London

The week-long, intelligence-led Operation Baselife also tackled offences such as shoplifting and anti-social behaviour

Additional officers were deployed in a crackdown on crime in London. Photo: Metropolitan Police

Police in London have made more than 140 arrests in a week-long crackdown on crime and anti-social behaviour in the West End.

More than 100 additional officers were deployed as part of Operation Baselife, a week-long, intelligence-led clamp down on offences such as phone theft, shoplifting, violence against women and girls, and other anti-social behaviour.

The operation is part of increased police activity in crime hotspots as the Metropolitan Police targets prolific offenders.

The UK capital has in recent years been blighted by thieves on bikes snatching mobile phones from unsuspecting victims and "Rolex ripper" gangs hitting luxury watch owners.

According to data collated by insurance firm SquareTrade in July, nearly 40 per cent of all phone thefts across the company’s 12 European markets were in Britain, despite the UK only making up 10 per cent of its European customers.

Last year the Met Police said about 80,000 mobile phones were stolen in London and so far this year the figure is 45,000.

A suspect is arrested during Operation Baselife. Photo: Metropolitan Police

The discovery of 1,000 iPhones in a warehouse near London Heathrow Airport during a separate crackdown earlier this year led to the dismantling of a suspected international smuggling gang. An investigation which began last December caught street thieves, dealers and handlers including two gang leaders from Afghanistan. Police believe they disrupted a major criminal network suspected of smuggling up to 40,000 stolen phones from the UK to China in the past 12 months.

Among those arrested during Operation Baselife, which ran for a week from November 3, were two phone thieves operating at an ice rink in Leicester Square and two men caught driving a stolen vehicle in Paddington.

Superintendent Natasha Evans, who led the Met’s operation in London’s West End, said: “This operation shows that targeting prolific offenders in crime hotspots works. Our intelligence-led approach means we’re solving twice as many shoplifting cases and taking hundreds of offenders off the streets.

“Through this intensified action, we are continuing to ensure the West End remains a safe and welcoming place for residents, businesses and the millions of visitors who come here each month.

“We’re doubling down before Christmas, as the West End enters one of its busiest periods. Local officers, specialist teams and tech such as live facial recognition will focus on the areas with the most crime to keep driving numbers down.“

The Met's marine unit patrolling the Thames during the theft crackdown. Photo: Metropolitan Police

Officers worked at specific times and places where they believed offences were most likely to occur, with uniformed and covert teams working to target prolific offenders.

Officers were supported by specialist teams such as “interceptors” who largely target robberies and thefts involving cars, mopeds and e-bikes. The Marine Policing Unit also carried out patrols on the Thames.

The Met said that between April 1 and October 29, officers achieved reductions in several types of crime in the West End compared to the same period last year, including neighbourhood crime down by 20.7 per cent, knife crime down by 22.3 per cent, personal robbery down 14.1 per cent and theft from a vehicle down 19 per cent.

It said officers are arresting around 1,000 more criminals every month compared to last year and have solved 92 per cent more shoplifting cases this year.