The Story The organised crime groups stealing your phone
Feb 10, 2025
Dipesh Gadher, Home Affairs Correspondent at The Sunday Times, and Louise Eccles, Journalist focusing on consumer affairs, delve into the shocking rise of mobile phone theft in the UK. They explore the alarming tactics used by organized crime groups and the unsettling reality of stolen phones ending up in markets like Shenzhen, China. The discussion highlights troubling implications for victims and the inadequacies in law enforcement responses. Both guests stress the urgent need for improved collaboration to deter this epidemic and protect consumers.
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Notting Hill Raid
- Police raided a Notting Hill flat and found 170 stolen smartphones wrapped in foil.
- Ledgers revealed 5,000 phones moved through the flat in 18 months, indicating organized crime.
Theft Hotspots
- Phone thefts have doubled since 2021, with 64,000 reported stolen in London in 2023.
- 40% of thefts occurred in two central London council wards, including Westminster.
Organized Crime
- Algerian national Zakaria Zanadjki and three others ran the Notting Hill operation.
- They not only resold phones but also accessed bank accounts, committing £5 million in fraud.