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09
Apr
‘Phone theft effectively decriminalised’, says Harrogate and Knaresborough MP after new figures
Less than 5% of reported phone thefts in North Yorkshire resulted in a charge, new figures have revealed.
The Liberal Democrats submitted freedom of information requests to forces across Great Britain and Northern Ireland asking for the total number of phone thefts in 2024/25 as well as a breakdown of all outcome types for the recorded cases.
North Yorkshire Police’s response revealed only 15 of 305 of reported phone thefts led to a charge.
Its 4.92% figure is, however, considerably better than the 0.82% national average reported by the 17 forces that responded.
Only Durham Constabulary and Police Service of Northern Ireland reported higher charge rates of 7.56% and 9.67% respectively.
Tom Gordon, the Liberal Democrat MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, called for a “return to proper neighbourhood policing”, with a staffed police desk in every community.
Mr Gordon said:
People could be forgiven for concluding phone theft has been effectively decriminalised. Criminal gangs are feeling emboldened to strike in broad daylight, safe in the knowledge they have a less than 4.92% chance of ever being caught.
A stolen phone isn't just an expensive item, it holds your entire digital life, from bank accounts to private messages. The fact that so many cases are closed by North Yorkshire Police without a suspect even being named is a slap in the face to victims across the county.
The Liberal Democrats also called on the government to tighten up regulations to ensure all phone providers are immediately mandated to disable stolen phones, effectively killing the market for reselling.
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