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Phone Theft 2025-07-03
03 July 2025
Lead MP
Dawn Butler
Debate Type
General Debate
Tags
Crime & Law EnforcementEconomy
Other Contributors: 12
At a Glance
Dawn Butler raised concerns about phone theft 2025-07-03 in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Opened the debate
Ms. Dawn Butler opened the debate highlighting a personal experience of mobile phone theft and emphasised the need for stricter measures against such crimes, including forcing manufacturers to implement kill switches for stolen phones. She cited statistics showing that in Westminster, a mobile phone is stolen every six minutes and pointed out the severe implications for victims, ranging from financial loss to identity theft.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Mr. Jim Shannon agreed with Ms. Butler's opening statement, highlighting that mobile phones contain critical personal information and that young people often have their entire lives stored on their devices.
Mary Glindon
Lab
Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend
Ms. Mary Glindon supported Ms. Butler's position, emphasising the need for greater public awareness regarding mobile phone theft risks, particularly in high-incidence areas like Westminster.
John McDonnell
Ind
Hayes and Harlington
Mr. John McDonnell shared his experience of having a phone stolen and the subsequent issues with insurance renewal, underscoring the broader implications of mobile phone theft such as identity theft and financial fraud.
Iqbal Mohamed
Ind
Dewsbury and Batley
Mr. Iqbal Mohamed provided a detailed account of mobile phone theft in his constituency, citing high incidence rates and the severe personal impacts on victims. He called for treating mobile phone theft as organised crime and urged telecom providers to take stronger action.
Iqbal Mohamed
Lab
Dewsbury and Batley
Mohamed agreed that telecoms providers should disable stolen phones both in this country and abroad. He argued for stronger tracking systems, support for local policing, and emergency tech funds or digital safety grants for victims.
Uma Kumaran
Lab
Stratford and Bow
Kumaran highlighted the personal impact of phone theft on individuals and detailed several constituent cases. She emphasised the need for regulation around e-bikes, better resourcing of police services, and stronger neighbourhood policing.
Calvin Bailey
Lab
Leyton and Wanstead
Bailey agreed with Kumaran's point about regulating e-bikes that are adapted to go at dangerously fast speeds, enabling phone snatching. He called for measures to end the off-road sales loophole.
Olly Glover
LD
Didcot and Wantage
Glover commended speakers for highlighting the emotional impact of stolen phones and discussed the role of illegal e-bikes in facilitating phone theft. He emphasised the need to restore proper community policing and criticised Conservative cuts that left police overstretched.
Katie Lam
Con
Weald of Kent
Mobile phone theft should be considered more than petty crime; it impacts personal safety and leads to other crimes like knife crime. The data shows a 70% rise in snatch thefts in England and Wales last year, with London accounting for three-quarters of these thefts. Despite this, only a small fraction are solved or lead to arrests. The focus on non-crime hate incidents diverts resources from catching criminals.
Diana Johnson
Minister for Policing and Crime Prevention
The Government acknowledges the issue of mobile phone theft and is taking steps through safer streets mission, including deploying 13,000 additional police officers by 2029. The Home Secretary chaired a summit to drive collaboration with tech companies and law enforcement to combat this crime. While there has been a decrease in certain types of thefts, the levels remain unacceptably high.
Nick Timothy
Con
West Suffolk
The shadow minister criticises the current government's record on mobile phone theft, highlighting the previous government’s approach to non-crime hate incidents and underinvestment in prison places. The focus should be on addressing the root causes of crime through better policing and stricter enforcement.
Dawn Butler
Lab
Brent Central
The speaker emphasises the need to address mobile phone theft comprehensively, highlighting issues related to online access via stolen devices and the correlation with petty crime escalating into more serious offences. She also mentions the issue of illegally modified e-bikes used for theft.
Government Response
The Government are determined to tackle mobile phone theft, recognising its impact beyond just losing a device. They have taken steps such as chairing a summit to drive collaboration with tech companies and law enforcement for stronger prevention and detection measures.
Shadow Response
None
Shadow Response
The shadow Minister missed key points, and her stance on free speech was criticised. The speaker mentioned the arrest of a far-right extremist who had called them racist slurs.
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Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy
About House of Commons Debates
House of Commons debates take place in the main chamber of the House of Commons. These debates cover a wide range of topics including government policy, legislation, and current affairs. MPs from all parties can participate, question ministers, and hold the government accountable for its decisions.