{"id":2463,"date":"2024-09-07T00:12:47","date_gmt":"2024-09-07T00:12:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/thieves-snatched-his-phone-in-london-it-was-in-china-a-month-later\/"},"modified":"2024-09-07T00:12:47","modified_gmt":"2024-09-07T00:12:47","slug":"thieves-snatched-his-phone-in-london-it-was-in-china-a-month-later","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/thieves-snatched-his-phone-in-london-it-was-in-china-a-month-later\/","title":{"rendered":"Thieves snatched his phone in London &#8211; it was in China a month later"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Thieves snatched his phone in London &#8211; it was in China a month later<\/p>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"ssrcss-1b5y2ub-ComponentWrapper-FullWidthWrapper ey0461q0\">\n<figure class=\"ssrcss-1vfya96-StyledFigure e34k3c22\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-ab5fd8-StyledFigureContainer e34k3c21\"><span class=\"ssrcss-1c4ol7u-Placeholder etlorgc0\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/5439\/live\/60980cd0-6abf-11ef-8c32-f3c2bc7494c6.jpg.webp 240w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/5439\/live\/60980cd0-6abf-11ef-8c32-f3c2bc7494c6.jpg.webp 320w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/5439\/live\/60980cd0-6abf-11ef-8c32-f3c2bc7494c6.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/624\/cpsprodpb\/5439\/live\/60980cd0-6abf-11ef-8c32-f3c2bc7494c6.jpg.webp 624w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/5439\/live\/60980cd0-6abf-11ef-8c32-f3c2bc7494c6.jpg.webp 800w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/976\/cpsprodpb\/5439\/live\/60980cd0-6abf-11ef-8c32-f3c2bc7494c6.jpg.webp 976w\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Akara Etteh\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/8zmYL4.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/5439\/live\/60980cd0-6abf-11ef-8c32-f3c2bc7494c6.jpg 240w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/5439\/live\/60980cd0-6abf-11ef-8c32-f3c2bc7494c6.jpg 320w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/5439\/live\/60980cd0-6abf-11ef-8c32-f3c2bc7494c6.jpg 480w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/624\/cpsprodpb\/5439\/live\/60980cd0-6abf-11ef-8c32-f3c2bc7494c6.jpg 624w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/5439\/live\/60980cd0-6abf-11ef-8c32-f3c2bc7494c6.jpg 800w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/976\/cpsprodpb\/5439\/live\/60980cd0-6abf-11ef-8c32-f3c2bc7494c6.jpg 976w\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1152.2210708117443\" class=\"ssrcss-11yxrdo-Image edrdn950\"><\/picture><\/span><span role=\"text\" class=\"ssrcss-tvuve5-StyledFigureCopyright e34k3c20\">Akara Etteh<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"byline-block\" class=\"ssrcss-1hbb5i-BylineComponentWrapper e8mq1e90\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1tfo6ca-BylineWrapper e8mq1e917\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1bhyidw-ContributorContainer e8mq1e916\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-aev3hv-Container-ContributorDetails e8mq1e913\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-68pt20-Text-TextContributorName e8mq1e96\">Graham Fraser<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-84ltp5-Text e8mq1e910\">Technology reporter<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1bhyidw-ContributorContainer e8mq1e916\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-aev3hv-Container-ContributorDetails e8mq1e913\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-68pt20-Text-TextContributorName e8mq1e96\">Tom Gerken<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-84ltp5-Text e8mq1e910\">Technology reporter<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-14afken-Divider e8mq1e915\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"metadata-block\" class=\"ssrcss-xza2yt-ComponentWrapper ep2nwvo1\">\n<div>\n<ul role=\"list\" class=\"ssrcss-1ik71mx-MetadataStripContainer eh44mf03\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-13nu8ri-GroupChildrenForWrapping eh44mf02\">\n<li role=\"listitem\" class=\"ssrcss-30fcoe-MetadataStripItem eh44mf01\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-m5j4pi-MetadataContent eh44mf00\"><span class=\"ssrcss-1pvwv4b-MetadataSnippet e4wm5bw3\"><span class=\"ssrcss-1if1g9v-MetadataText e4wm5bw1\"><time data-testid=\"timestamp\" datetime=\"2024-09-06T23:49:11.778Z\">7 September 2024, 00:49 BST<\/time><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/div>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-13mf69a-MetadataSnippetWrapper ek9haql0\"><span class=\"ssrcss-1pvwv4b-MetadataSnippet e4wm5bw3\"><span class=\"ssrcss-1if1g9v-MetadataText e4wm5bw1\"><time data-testid=\"timestamp\" datetime=\"2024-09-06T23:49:59.873Z\">Updated 20 minutes ago<\/time><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\"><b class=\"ssrcss-1xjjfut-BoldText e5tfeyi3\">Early on a Saturday morning in April, Akara Etteh was checking his phone as he came out of Holborn tube station, in central London.<\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">A moment later, it was in the hand of a thief on the back of an electric bike &#8211; Akara gave chase, but they got away.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">He is just one victim of an estimated 78,000 &#8220;snatch thefts&#8221; in England and Wales in the year to March, a big increase on the previous 12 months.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">The prosecution rate for this offence is very low &#8211; the police say they are targeting the criminals responsible but cannot &#8220;arrest their way out of the problem&#8221;. They also say manufacturers and tech firms have a bigger role to play.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Victims of the crime have been telling the BBC of the impact it has had on them &#8211; ranging from losing irreplaceable photos to having tens of thousands of pounds stolen.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">And for Akara, like many other people who have their phone taken, there was another frustration: he was able to track where his device went, but was powerless to get it back.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"subheadline-block\" class=\"ssrcss-19w8cxh-ComponentWrapper-HeadlineComponentWrapper egtrm1f0\">\n<h2 id=\"Phone-pings-around-London\" tabindex=\"-1\" class=\"ssrcss-pbttu9-Heading e10rt3ze0\"><span role=\"text\">Phone pings around London<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">He put his iPhone 13 into lost mode when he got home an hour or so later &#8211; meaning the thieves couldn&#8217;t access its contents &#8211; and turned on the Find My iPhone feature using his laptop.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">This allowed Akara to track his phone&#8217;s rough location and almost immediately he received a notification to say it was in Islington. Eight days later, the phone was pinging in different locations around north London again.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">In a move says he &#8220;wouldn&#8217;t recommend&#8221; with hindsight, he went to two of the locations his phone had been in to &#8220;look around&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;It was pretty risky,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I was fuelled by adrenaline and anger.&#8221; <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"ssrcss-1b5y2ub-ComponentWrapper-FullWidthWrapper ey0461q0\">\n<figure class=\"ssrcss-1vfya96-StyledFigure e34k3c22\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-ab5fd8-StyledFigureContainer e34k3c21\"><span class=\"ssrcss-x2738q-Placeholder etlorgc0\"><span><\/p>\n<div><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/4db3\/live\/76fc0b20-6ba5-11ef-8c32-f3c2bc7494c6.png.webp 240w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/4db3\/live\/76fc0b20-6ba5-11ef-8c32-f3c2bc7494c6.png.webp 320w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/4db3\/live\/76fc0b20-6ba5-11ef-8c32-f3c2bc7494c6.png.webp 480w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/624\/cpsprodpb\/4db3\/live\/76fc0b20-6ba5-11ef-8c32-f3c2bc7494c6.png.webp 624w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/4db3\/live\/76fc0b20-6ba5-11ef-8c32-f3c2bc7494c6.png.webp 800w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/976\/cpsprodpb\/4db3\/live\/76fc0b20-6ba5-11ef-8c32-f3c2bc7494c6.png.webp 976w\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A map showing the phone's locations popping up across London, before appearing in China.\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/yhHGWm.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/4db3\/live\/76fc0b20-6ba5-11ef-8c32-f3c2bc7494c6.png 240w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/4db3\/live\/76fc0b20-6ba5-11ef-8c32-f3c2bc7494c6.png 320w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/4db3\/live\/76fc0b20-6ba5-11ef-8c32-f3c2bc7494c6.png 480w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/624\/cpsprodpb\/4db3\/live\/76fc0b20-6ba5-11ef-8c32-f3c2bc7494c6.png 624w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/4db3\/live\/76fc0b20-6ba5-11ef-8c32-f3c2bc7494c6.png 800w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/976\/cpsprodpb\/4db3\/live\/76fc0b20-6ba5-11ef-8c32-f3c2bc7494c6.png 976w\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1779.2\" class=\"ssrcss-11yxrdo-Image edrdn950\"><\/picture><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">He didn&#8217;t speak to anyone, but he felt he was being watched and went home.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;I am really angry,&#8221; he said. &#8220;The phone is expensive. We work hard to earn that money, to be able to buy the handset, and someone else says &#8216;screw that&#8217;.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Then, in May, just over a month after the theft, Akara checked Find My iPhone again &#8211; his prized possession was now on the other side of the world &#8211; in Shenzhen, China. <\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Akara gave up.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">It is not uncommon for stolen phones to end up in Shenzhen &#8211; where if devices can&#8217;t be unlocked and used again, they are disassembled for parts.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">The city is home to 17.6 million people and is a big tech hub, sometimes referred to as China&#8217;s Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"subheadline-block\" class=\"ssrcss-19w8cxh-ComponentWrapper-HeadlineComponentWrapper egtrm1f0\">\n<h2 id=\"Police-could-not-help\" tabindex=\"-1\" class=\"ssrcss-pbttu9-Heading e10rt3ze0\"><span role=\"text\">Police could not help<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">In the moments after Akara\u2019s phone was stolen, he saw police officers on the street and he told them what had happened. Officers, he said, were aware of thieves doing a \u201cloop of the area\u201d to steal phones, and he was encouraged to report the offence online, which he did.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">A few days later, he was told by the Metropolitan Police via email the case was closed as \u201cit is unlikely that we will be able to identify those responsible\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Akara subsequently submitted the pictures and information he had gathered from the locations where his stolen phone had been. The police acknowledged receipt but took no further action.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">The Metropolitan Police had no comment to make on Akara\u2019s specific case, but said it was \u201ctargeting resources to hotspot areas, such as Westminster, Lambeth and Newham, with increased patrols and plain clothes officers which deter criminals and make officers more visibly available to members of the community\u201d. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"social-block\" class=\"ssrcss-z8g1qb-ComponentWrapper-SocialComponentWrapper ehp21060\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1cfn5j5-NoJSWrapper e154qsm6\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-21lnor-NoJSMessageContainer e154qsm5\">This TikTok post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on TikTok<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"ssrcss-1j02if1-Warning e154qsm0\"><span class=\"ssrcss-125exif-IconContainer e154qsm1\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" width=\"1em\" height=\"1em\" class=\"ssrcss-xi5oyi-StyledIcon e161cein1\" focusable=\"false\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M16 31c8.5 0 15-6.5 15-15S24.5 1 16 1 1 7.5 1 16s6.5 15 15 15m-2.2-5.5V12.7h4.4v12.9h-4.4zM16 10c-1.7 0-2.7-.9-2.7-2.4s1-2.4 2.7-2.4 2.7.9 2.7 2.4-1 2.4-2.7 2.4\" \/><\/svg><\/span>The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. TikTok content may contain adverts.<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"wrapper-tiktok-0\" class=\"ssrcss-u9mpjp-SocialWrapper e154qsm3\">Skip tiktok video by Metropolitan Police<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"placeholder-embed-container\" width=\"550\" class=\"ssrcss-1oz557-PlaceholderContainer-TikTokPlaceholderContainer e4p1zr42\">\n<div width=\"550\" class=\"ssrcss-1oeotxw-SocialConsentPlaceholder-TikTokSocialConsentPlaceholder e4p1zr41\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-rd86o7-PlaceholderHeader egl6cwb3\">Allow TikTok content?<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"ssrcss-1z0hyb3-PlaceholderInfoText egl6cwb2\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">This article contains content provided by TikTok. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read TikTok\u2019s cookie policy and privacy policy before accepting. To view this content choose <b class=\"ssrcss-cgjb6m-Keyword e2vephq0\">\u2018accept and continue\u2019<\/b>.<\/p>\n<p><\/span><button width=\"content-length\" type=\"button\" class=\"ssrcss-nhey4t-Button eoocusk1\">Accept and continue<\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"ssrcss-1j02if1-Warning e154qsm0\"><span class=\"ssrcss-125exif-IconContainer e154qsm1\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 32 32\" width=\"1em\" height=\"1em\" class=\"ssrcss-xi5oyi-StyledIcon e161cein1\" focusable=\"false\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M16 31c8.5 0 15-6.5 15-15S24.5 1 16 1 1 7.5 1 16s6.5 15 15 15m-2.2-5.5V12.7h4.4v12.9h-4.4zM16 10c-1.7 0-2.7-.9-2.7-2.4s1-2.4 2.7-2.4 2.7.9 2.7 2.4-1 2.4-2.7 2.4\" \/><\/svg><\/span>The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. TikTok content may contain adverts.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"subheadline-block\" class=\"ssrcss-19w8cxh-ComponentWrapper-HeadlineComponentWrapper egtrm1f0\">\n<h2 id=\"Lost-photos-of-mum\" tabindex=\"-1\" class=\"ssrcss-pbttu9-Heading e10rt3ze0\"><span role=\"text\">Lost photos of mum<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Many other people have contacted the BBC with their experiences of having their phones taken. One, James O\u2019Sullivan, 44, from Surrey, says he lost more than \u00a325,000 when thieves used his stolen device&#8217;s Apple Pay service.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Meanwhile, Katie Ashworth, from Newcastle, explained her phone was snatched in a park along with her watch, and a debit card in the phone case.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">\u201cThe saddest thing was that the phone contained the last photos I had of my mum on a walk before she got too unwell to really do anything &#8211; I would do anything to get those photos back,&#8221; the 36-year-old says. <\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Again, she says, there was a lack of action from the police.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;The police never even followed it up with me, despite my bank transactions showing exactly where the thieves went,&#8221; she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;The police just told me to check Facebook Marketplace and local second-hand shops like Cex.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"links-block\" class=\"ssrcss-12l5xzx-LinksComponentWrapper e3eyuya0\">\n<section class=\"ssrcss-msolhr-LinksWrapper e3eyuya5\">\n<ul role=\"list\" class=\"ssrcss-mh3hvv-InContentLinksGrid e3eyuya3\">\n<li class=\"ssrcss-r2yl4r-PromoItem e3eyuya1\">\n<div data-testid=\"promo\" class=\"ssrcss-s1qr4x-Promo e1vyq2e80\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1enzf19-PromoCompact e18gnqux0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1d68cot-PromoContent exn3ah99\">\n<div spacing=\"2\" class=\"ssrcss-1f3bvyz-Stack e1y4nx260\"><span role=\"text\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1sen9vx-PromoHeadline exn3ah96\"><span aria-hidden=\"false\">CCTV shows man&#8217;s arrest seconds after snatching phone<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<div spacing=\"2\" class=\"ssrcss-1f3bvyz-Stack e1y4nx260\">\n<div>\n<ul role=\"list\" class=\"ssrcss-1ik71mx-MetadataStripContainer eh44mf03\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-13nu8ri-GroupChildrenForWrapping eh44mf02\">\n<li role=\"listitem\" class=\"ssrcss-30fcoe-MetadataStripItem eh44mf01\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-m5j4pi-MetadataContent eh44mf00\"><span class=\"ssrcss-1pvwv4b-MetadataSnippet e4wm5bw3\"><span class=\"ssrcss-1if1g9v-MetadataText e4wm5bw1\">22 August<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/div>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"ssrcss-r2yl4r-PromoItem e3eyuya1\">\n<div data-testid=\"promo\" class=\"ssrcss-s1qr4x-Promo e1vyq2e80\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1enzf19-PromoCompact e18gnqux0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1d68cot-PromoContent exn3ah99\">\n<div spacing=\"2\" class=\"ssrcss-1f3bvyz-Stack e1y4nx260\"><span role=\"text\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1sen9vx-PromoHeadline exn3ah96\"><span aria-hidden=\"false\">Mobile stolen every six minutes in London &#8211; police<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<div spacing=\"2\" class=\"ssrcss-1f3bvyz-Stack e1y4nx260\">\n<div>\n<ul role=\"list\" class=\"ssrcss-1ik71mx-MetadataStripContainer eh44mf03\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-13nu8ri-GroupChildrenForWrapping eh44mf02\">\n<li role=\"listitem\" class=\"ssrcss-30fcoe-MetadataStripItem eh44mf01\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-m5j4pi-MetadataContent eh44mf00\"><span class=\"ssrcss-1pvwv4b-MetadataSnippet e4wm5bw3\"><span class=\"ssrcss-1if1g9v-MetadataText e4wm5bw1\">9 August 2023<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/div>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"subheadline-block\" class=\"ssrcss-19w8cxh-ComponentWrapper-HeadlineComponentWrapper egtrm1f0\">\n<h2 id=\"Battle-against-the-clock-for-police\" tabindex=\"-1\" class=\"ssrcss-pbttu9-Heading e10rt3ze0\"><span role=\"text\">&#8216;Battle against the clock&#8217; for police<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">So why are the police seemingly unable to combat this offence &#8211; or recover stolen devices?<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">PC Mat Evans, who has led a team working on this kind of crime for over a decade within West Midlands Police, admitted that only &#8220;quite a low number&#8221; of phones that are stolen actually get recovered.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">He says the problem is the speed with which criminals move.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;Phones will be offloaded to known fences within a couple of hours,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;It&#8217;s always a battle against the clock immediately following any of these crimes, but people should always report these things to the police, because if we don&#8217;t know that these crimes are taking place, we can&#8217;t investigate them.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">And sometimes just one arrest can make a difference.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;When we do catch these criminals, either in the act or after the fact, our crime rates tank,&#8221; he said. <\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;Quite often that individual has been responsible for a huge swathe of crime.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"piano-inline1\"><\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">But the problem is not just about policing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">In a statement, Commander Richard Smith from the National Police Chiefs&#8217; Council, which brings together senior officers to help develop policing strategy, said it would &#8220;continue to target&#8221; the most prolific criminals.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;We know that we cannot arrest our way out of this problem,&#8221; he said. <\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;Manufacturers and the tech industry have an important role in reducing opportunities for criminals to benefit from the resale of stolen handsets.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"subheadline-block\" class=\"ssrcss-19w8cxh-ComponentWrapper-HeadlineComponentWrapper egtrm1f0\">\n<h2 id=\"Tracking-and-disabling\" tabindex=\"-1\" class=\"ssrcss-pbttu9-Heading e10rt3ze0\"><span role=\"text\">Tracking and disabling<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"ssrcss-1b5y2ub-ComponentWrapper-FullWidthWrapper ey0461q0\">\n<figure class=\"ssrcss-1vfya96-StyledFigure e34k3c22\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-ab5fd8-StyledFigureContainer e34k3c21\"><span class=\"ssrcss-1opvgyl-Placeholder etlorgc0\"><span><\/p>\n<div><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/2e51\/live\/021200a0-6c5c-11ef-bb13-858254fd6d28.png.webp 240w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/2e51\/live\/021200a0-6c5c-11ef-bb13-858254fd6d28.png.webp 320w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/2e51\/live\/021200a0-6c5c-11ef-bb13-858254fd6d28.png.webp 480w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/624\/cpsprodpb\/2e51\/live\/021200a0-6c5c-11ef-bb13-858254fd6d28.png.webp 624w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/2e51\/live\/021200a0-6c5c-11ef-bb13-858254fd6d28.png.webp 800w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/976\/cpsprodpb\/2e51\/live\/021200a0-6c5c-11ef-bb13-858254fd6d28.png.webp 976w\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"PC Mat Evans\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/YNyA9Q.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/2e51\/live\/021200a0-6c5c-11ef-bb13-858254fd6d28.png 240w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/2e51\/live\/021200a0-6c5c-11ef-bb13-858254fd6d28.png 320w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/2e51\/live\/021200a0-6c5c-11ef-bb13-858254fd6d28.png 480w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/624\/cpsprodpb\/2e51\/live\/021200a0-6c5c-11ef-bb13-858254fd6d28.png 624w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/2e51\/live\/021200a0-6c5c-11ef-bb13-858254fd6d28.png 800w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/976\/cpsprodpb\/2e51\/live\/021200a0-6c5c-11ef-bb13-858254fd6d28.png 976w\" width=\"1024\" height=\"575.7928802588997\" class=\"ssrcss-11yxrdo-Image edrdn950\"><\/picture><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/span><span role=\"text\" class=\"ssrcss-tvuve5-StyledFigureCopyright e34k3c20\">PC Mat Evans<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Stolen phones can already be tracked and have their data erased through services such as &#8220;Find My iPhone&#8221; and &#8220;Find My Device&#8221;, from Android.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">But policing minister Dame Diana Johnson said this week the government wanted manufacturers to ensure that any stolen phone could be permanently disabled to prevent it being sold second-hand.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Police chiefs will also be tasked with gathering more intelligence on who is stealing phones and where stolen devices end up.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">A growing demand for second-hand phones, both in the UK and abroad, is believed to be a major driver behind the recent rise in thefts, the government said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">The Home Office is to host a summit at which tech companies and phone manufacturers will be asked to consider innovations that could help stop phones being traded illegally.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper ep2nwvo0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-7uxr49-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">PC Evans said there was &#8220;no magic bullet&#8221;, but he said there was one thing manufacturers could do which would be &#8220;enormously helpful&#8221; to the police &#8211; more accurate tracking. <\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;At this moment in time, phone tracking is okay,&#8221; he said. <\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;But it&#8217;s not that scene in Total Recall yet, where you&#8217;re able to run around with a tracking device in your hand, sprinting down the road after a little bleeping dot. <\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">&#8220;I appreciate it&#8217;s a big ask from the phone companies to make that a thing, but that would be enormously helpful from a policing perspective.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\">Apple and Android did not provide the BBC with a statement, but Samsung said it was &#8220;working closely with key stakeholders and authorities on the issue of mobile phone theft and related crimes&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10\"><i class=\"ssrcss-xbdn93-ItalicText e5tfeyi2\">Additional reporting by Tom Singleton<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"topic-list\" class=\"ssrcss-1qmkvfu-TopicListWrapper etw6iwl1\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-113c0cq-StyledTagContainer ed0g1kj1\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-50vlbt-TopicListHeaderWrapper etw6iwl0\">\n<h2 type=\"normal\" class=\"ssrcss-ad2rmd-Heading e10rt3ze0\">Related topics<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-17ehax8-Cluster e1ihwmse1\">\n<ul role=\"list\" spacing=\"2\" class=\"ssrcss-1ujonwb-ClusterItems e1ihwmse0\">\n<li>China<\/li>\n<li>Metropolitan Police Service<\/li>\n<li>London<\/li>\n<li>Crime<\/li>\n<li>Mobile phones<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"links-block\" class=\"ssrcss-5i1hhv-LinksComponentWrapper e3eyuya0\">\n<section class=\"ssrcss-msolhr-LinksWrapper e3eyuya5\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1lqqmgw-LinksHeadingWrapper e3eyuya4\">\n<h2 type=\"normal\" class=\"ssrcss-ad2rmd-Heading e10rt3ze0\">More on this story<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<ul role=\"list\" class=\"ssrcss-1ypkflt-EndOfContentLinksGrid e3eyuya2\">\n<li class=\"ssrcss-r2yl4r-PromoItem e3eyuya1\">\n<div data-testid=\"promo\" class=\"ssrcss-s1qr4x-Promo e1vyq2e80\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1m4lri3-PromoSwitchLayoutAtBreakpoints et5qctl0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1d68cot-PromoContent exn3ah99\">\n<div spacing=\"2\" class=\"ssrcss-1f3bvyz-Stack e1y4nx260\"><span role=\"text\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1sen9vx-PromoHeadline exn3ah96\"><span aria-hidden=\"false\">Phone companies asked to help tackle rise in thefts<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<div spacing=\"2\" class=\"ssrcss-1f3bvyz-Stack e1y4nx260\">\n<div>\n<ul role=\"list\" class=\"ssrcss-1ik71mx-MetadataStripContainer eh44mf03\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-13nu8ri-GroupChildrenForWrapping eh44mf02\">\n<li role=\"listitem\" class=\"ssrcss-30fcoe-MetadataStripItem eh44mf01\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-m5j4pi-MetadataContent eh44mf00\"><span class=\"ssrcss-1pvwv4b-MetadataSnippet e4wm5bw3\"><span class=\"ssrcss-1if1g9v-MetadataText e4wm5bw1\">3 days ago<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/div>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-z60stg-PromoImageContainer en81kx34\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-17h6w1t-PromoImageContainerInner en81kx32\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-fec6qv-ImageWrapper en81kx33\"><span class=\"ssrcss-fmt1c3-Placeholder etlorgc0\"><span><\/p>\n<div><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/1a31\/live\/36895300-69d3-11ef-b43e-6916dcba5cbf.jpg.webp 240w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/1a31\/live\/36895300-69d3-11ef-b43e-6916dcba5cbf.jpg.webp 320w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/1a31\/live\/36895300-69d3-11ef-b43e-6916dcba5cbf.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/624\/cpsprodpb\/1a31\/live\/36895300-69d3-11ef-b43e-6916dcba5cbf.jpg.webp 624w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/1a31\/live\/36895300-69d3-11ef-b43e-6916dcba5cbf.jpg.webp 800w, https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/z7jGQC.jpg.webp 976w\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Travellers use their mobile phones on a train\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/z7jGQC.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/1a31\/live\/36895300-69d3-11ef-b43e-6916dcba5cbf.jpg 240w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/1a31\/live\/36895300-69d3-11ef-b43e-6916dcba5cbf.jpg 320w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/1a31\/live\/36895300-69d3-11ef-b43e-6916dcba5cbf.jpg 480w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/624\/cpsprodpb\/1a31\/live\/36895300-69d3-11ef-b43e-6916dcba5cbf.jpg 624w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/1a31\/live\/36895300-69d3-11ef-b43e-6916dcba5cbf.jpg 800w, https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/z7jGQC.jpg 976w\" width=\"976\" height=\"549\" class=\"ssrcss-11yxrdo-Image edrdn950\"><\/picture><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"ssrcss-r2yl4r-PromoItem e3eyuya1\">\n<div data-testid=\"promo\" class=\"ssrcss-s1qr4x-Promo e1vyq2e80\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1m4lri3-PromoSwitchLayoutAtBreakpoints et5qctl0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1d68cot-PromoContent exn3ah99\">\n<div spacing=\"2\" class=\"ssrcss-1f3bvyz-Stack e1y4nx260\"><span role=\"text\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1sen9vx-PromoHeadline exn3ah96\"><span aria-hidden=\"false\">How phone theft in London was tackled in the 90s<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<div spacing=\"2\" class=\"ssrcss-1f3bvyz-Stack e1y4nx260\">\n<div>\n<ul role=\"list\" class=\"ssrcss-1ik71mx-MetadataStripContainer eh44mf03\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-13nu8ri-GroupChildrenForWrapping eh44mf02\">\n<li role=\"listitem\" class=\"ssrcss-30fcoe-MetadataStripItem eh44mf01\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-m5j4pi-MetadataContent eh44mf00\"><span class=\"ssrcss-1pvwv4b-MetadataSnippet e4wm5bw3\"><span class=\"ssrcss-1if1g9v-MetadataText e4wm5bw1\">21 May<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/div>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-z60stg-PromoImageContainer en81kx34\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-17h6w1t-PromoImageContainerInner en81kx32\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-fec6qv-ImageWrapper en81kx33\"><span class=\"ssrcss-fmt1c3-Placeholder etlorgc0\"><span><\/p>\n<div><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/2766\/live\/756ed3a0-16af-11ef-a5f9-c9e97f2e93cf.jpg.webp 240w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/2766\/live\/756ed3a0-16af-11ef-a5f9-c9e97f2e93cf.jpg.webp 320w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/2766\/live\/756ed3a0-16af-11ef-a5f9-c9e97f2e93cf.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/624\/cpsprodpb\/2766\/live\/756ed3a0-16af-11ef-a5f9-c9e97f2e93cf.jpg.webp 624w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/2766\/live\/756ed3a0-16af-11ef-a5f9-c9e97f2e93cf.jpg.webp 800w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/976\/cpsprodpb\/2766\/live\/756ed3a0-16af-11ef-a5f9-c9e97f2e93cf.jpg.webp 976w\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Man hold old-style phone in the 1990s\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/EICgOv.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/2766\/live\/756ed3a0-16af-11ef-a5f9-c9e97f2e93cf.jpg 240w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/2766\/live\/756ed3a0-16af-11ef-a5f9-c9e97f2e93cf.jpg 320w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/2766\/live\/756ed3a0-16af-11ef-a5f9-c9e97f2e93cf.jpg 480w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/624\/cpsprodpb\/2766\/live\/756ed3a0-16af-11ef-a5f9-c9e97f2e93cf.jpg 624w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/2766\/live\/756ed3a0-16af-11ef-a5f9-c9e97f2e93cf.jpg 800w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/976\/cpsprodpb\/2766\/live\/756ed3a0-16af-11ef-a5f9-c9e97f2e93cf.jpg 976w\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1152\" class=\"ssrcss-11yxrdo-Image edrdn950\"><\/picture><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"ssrcss-r2yl4r-PromoItem e3eyuya1\">\n<div data-testid=\"promo\" class=\"ssrcss-s1qr4x-Promo e1vyq2e80\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1m4lri3-PromoSwitchLayoutAtBreakpoints et5qctl0\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1d68cot-PromoContent exn3ah99\">\n<div spacing=\"2\" class=\"ssrcss-1f3bvyz-Stack e1y4nx260\"><span role=\"text\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"ssrcss-1sen9vx-PromoHeadline exn3ah96\"><span aria-hidden=\"false\">Thieves &#8216;shoulder surfing&#8217; victims to steal phones<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<div spacing=\"2\" class=\"ssrcss-1f3bvyz-Stack e1y4nx260\">\n<div>\n<ul role=\"list\" class=\"ssrcss-1ik71mx-MetadataStripContainer eh44mf03\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-13nu8ri-GroupChildrenForWrapping eh44mf02\">\n<li role=\"listitem\" class=\"ssrcss-30fcoe-MetadataStripItem eh44mf01\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-m5j4pi-MetadataContent eh44mf00\"><span class=\"ssrcss-1pvwv4b-MetadataSnippet e4wm5bw3\"><span class=\"ssrcss-1if1g9v-MetadataText e4wm5bw1\">22 May 2023<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/div>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-z60stg-PromoImageContainer en81kx34\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-17h6w1t-PromoImageContainerInner en81kx32\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-fec6qv-ImageWrapper en81kx33\"><span class=\"ssrcss-fmt1c3-Placeholder etlorgc0\"><span><\/p>\n<div><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/105C0\/production\/_129780076_mobilephone_gettyimages-1430317544.jpg.webp 240w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/105C0\/production\/_129780076_mobilephone_gettyimages-1430317544.jpg.webp 320w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/105C0\/production\/_129780076_mobilephone_gettyimages-1430317544.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/624\/cpsprodpb\/105C0\/production\/_129780076_mobilephone_gettyimages-1430317544.jpg.webp 624w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/105C0\/production\/_129780076_mobilephone_gettyimages-1430317544.jpg.webp 800w, https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/oXrO6S.jpg.webp 976w\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Woman using mobile phone\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/oXrO6S.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/105C0\/production\/_129780076_mobilephone_gettyimages-1430317544.jpg 240w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/105C0\/production\/_129780076_mobilephone_gettyimages-1430317544.jpg 320w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/105C0\/production\/_129780076_mobilephone_gettyimages-1430317544.jpg 480w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/624\/cpsprodpb\/105C0\/production\/_129780076_mobilephone_gettyimages-1430317544.jpg 624w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/105C0\/production\/_129780076_mobilephone_gettyimages-1430317544.jpg 800w, https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/oXrO6S.jpg 976w\" width=\"976\" height=\"549\" class=\"ssrcss-11yxrdo-Image edrdn950\"><\/picture><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<p>Published at Fri, 06 Sep 2024 23:49:59 +0000<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Thieves snatched his phone in London &#8211; it was in China a month later Akara Etteh Graham Fraser Technology reporter Tom Gerken Technology reporter 7 September 2024, 00:49 BST Updated 20 minutes ago Early on a Saturday morning in April, Akara Etteh was checking his phone as he came out of Holborn tube station, in&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/thieves-snatched-his-phone-in-london-it-was-in-china-a-month-later\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Thieves snatched his phone in London &#8211; it was in China a month later<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2462,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2463","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2463","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2463"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2463\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2462"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2463"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2463"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2463"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}