"More than 370 suspects have been arrested in the Metropolitan Police's largest-ever crackdown on phone snatchers plaguing London's West End. Specialist teams deployed cutting-edge technology, including drones, high speed Sur-ron e-bikes and live facial recognition, to catch offenders and disrupt handlers shipping stolen devices abroad. An investigation identified children as young as 14 being paid hundreds of pounds by a Fagin-style gang to steal iPhones, with incentives advertised on social media platforms."
"Like a modern-day plot from Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist, 32 people were arrested when police dismantled an organised criminal network of adults recruiting teenagers to help run a large-scale phone snatching ring across London. More than 370 suspects arrested as police take fight to phone theft criminals Officers recovered more than 1,000 handsets taken by thieves who often escape on ebikes and electric scooters, 200 laptops and other high-value electronics destined to be exported overseas. Twenty people have been charged with further prosecutions to follow."
Metropolitan Police arrested more than 370 suspects in the largest crackdown on phone snatchers in London's West End. Specialist teams used drones, high-speed Sur-ron e-bikes and live facial recognition to catch offenders and disrupt handlers shipping stolen devices abroad. An investigation found children as young as 14 being paid hundreds of pounds by a Fagin-style gang to steal iPhones, with incentives advertised on social media. The year-long blitz led to a 12.3 per cent drop in mobile thefts to 71,391 offences. Officers recovered over 1,000 handsets, 200 laptops and other electronics slated for export. Twenty people have been charged and prosecutions will follow. Calls were made for courts to stop releasing repeat offenders on bail and for manufacturers and telecoms firms to make devices harder to reset and resell.
Read at www.standard.co.uk
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