Make stolen phones unusable, Met Police urges tech giants
7 hours ago
- #tech security
- #phone theft
- #law enforcement
- Met Police urges tech giants to make stolen phones harder to reuse to reduce crime incentives.
- Apple collaboration shows most stolen iPhones now avoid factory resets due to security updates like Stolen Device Protection.
- Met shares data with Apple to track stolen devices globally and improve security measures.
- Government considers legislation to force phone companies to publish stolen device data and enforce usability blocks.
- Phone theft rates in London have dropped significantly, with new police tactics like drones and e-bikes aiding enforcement.
- International stolen phone trade valued at millions, with devices often exported to countries like China for higher resale value.
- London Mayor and police call for industry-wide action, including kill switches and cloud access blocks, to complement policing efforts.