Economist Podcasts Grand theft global: the business of street crime
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Aug 26, 2025 
Tom Sass, the Britain Public Policy Editor at The Economist, reveals how car and phone theft has evolved into a significant international criminal enterprise, exploiting technological vulnerabilities. Gavin Jackson, an Economics and finance correspondent, advocates for using economic insight to navigate life’s big decisions, likening economists to dentists for financial health assessments. They also touch on the rising trend of private chefs, fueled by social media, and the cultural shift in how we perceive luxury dining.
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Port Ride-Along Shows Theft Scale
- Tom Sass visited Felixstowe port with officer Adam Gibson to see how police inspect suspicious cars destined for export.
- He watched gantry cranes load containers and learned officers try to intercept stolen vehicles before ships depart.
Exports Make Theft Global
- Stolen vehicles and phones vanish quickly once containers leave UK ports, feeding markets in Africa, the Gulf and China.
- Britain has become a hub for this globe-spanning criminal supply chain with rising theft rates.
Cars As Hacked Computers
- Modern cars are computers on wheels and hackers exploit electronic interfaces like taillight ports to open vehicles.
- From theft to a car in a container can happen within a day, outpacing police response.