Do You Want to Be the First to Truly Protect Customers from Phone Theft?
- Tina Rosén
- Jun 23
- 5 min read
Phone theft is exploding – are you ready to respond?
Scarcely a week goes by in the UK without another headline about phone theft. Recently, Bridgerton actress Genievieve Chennour reportedly fought back against a would-be phone thief while presenter Christine Lampard had her phone snatched when out shopping. Motivations surrounding these thefts vary, with many phones shipped abroad by organised criminal gangs and resold in Algeria or China, where they may be resold or dismantled for parts. Other criminals use them to steal customer data and gain access to the bank accounts of victims and e-commerce accounts (such as Amazon), with victims losing thousands of euros above and beyond the cost of a new phone.
Increasingly, data itself is the target. With the phone playing such a key role in digital lifestyles, it has become a target for a complex network of fraudsters and criminals. In 2024, for example, Europol uncovered a massive phishing network that had targetted over 480,000 people, with stolen phones used to get the data needed to steal money and gain access to accounts and applications.
The UK is Europe’s hotspot for phone thefts – and that has consequences
The UK may be the capital of phone theft in Europe – with 29% of customers having suffered one, and over 120,000 thefts reported in London alone in one year, at an estimated direct cost of over £50 million per year (in other words, the cost of replacing the phones alone, not counting any other losses). But this is not just a British problem: phones have become the main target for street thieves across North America and Europe.
Spain, for example, recently issued a warning to visitors as phone snatching surged in its cities. Signs are being posted in train stations, metro stops, and airport terminals to warn travellers not to use their phones unless absolutely necessary and to be careful when they do.
In Italy, pickpockets in cities such as Rome, Florence and Milan have switched from snatching wallets to going after smartphones. Italian police are stepping up their patrols and distributing leaflets advising people not to hold their phones in their hands while walking and never to place them on café tables.
In Berlin and Frankfurt, phone thefts frequently occur on public transport or during public events. German police are working with transport authorities on warning signs and announcements in multiple languages, while hotels are advising guests to store phones in inside pockets.
In Sweden, phones frequently get snatched in crowds – such as at the recent Sweden Rocks festival, where police reported that many phone cases were found thrown to the ground after phones were stolen.
This is not just a UK issue – it's a global epidemic
Spain: National warnings to tourists to hide phones in public.
Italy: Thieves have moved from wallets to smartphones.
Germany: Police and transport authorities issue multilingual alerts.
Sweden: Theft surges at major festivals like Sweden Rock.
The hidden cost for telecom operators
From a customer care perspective, this epidemic of thefts raises a number of issues for operators and their customers:
The cost of supporting distraught customers after their phone is stolen is significant. They often need long care calls plus follow up calls, need to have their old phone blocked, as well as a new phone and SIM card issued.
Operators have a social duty to co-operate with police and international organisations to stop organised crime. Although IMEI blocking helps, there are still too many ways around it for it to be effective against organised international gangs.
Phone theft is making customers wary of using their phones, which has a corrosive effect on the digital economy.
Phones are increasingly being used as a back door to get into consumer back accounts and corporate systems – meaning the chilling effect of phone theft extends to enterprise customers as well.
Governments are losing patience
What’s clear from the UK, is that the problem is now so serious that governments are not willing to sit by and do nothing. It’s only a matter of time until operators are held accountable and expected to have measures in place not just to efficiently support customers in their hour of need, or even to close the window of opportunity to data theft, but also to play their part in preventing these crimes in the first place. After all, the UK government has publicly criticised Apple and Samsung for not doing enough, despite both companies recently introducing Stolen Device Protection (Apple) and Theft Detection Lock (Android).
But what can operators realistically do to combat this problem and play their part as good digital citizens?
IMEI blocking alone is not enough
IMEI blocking is one method UK police are keen on, but there are problems with this – not all countries support it and there is still a lack of international co-operation, which means thieves can simply ship phones to a country where the block won’t work.
Another measure the UK is looking at is real-time intelligence on theft hotspots. This increases the chance of police catching thieves in the act or even preventing thefts by deploying additional resources into hotspots or enabling real-time reminders to citizens and visitors to be careful.
The future: Real-time intelligence and proactive prevention
The UK is exploring real-time hotspot data to:
Catch thieves in the act
Prevent crime with dynamic police deployments
Alert customers and tourists before it’s too late
CSPs have a role – and an opportunity – to Lead
The growing scale and sophistication of phone theft is no longer just a consumer issue – it's a national security risk, a threat to digital trust, and a looming regulatory flashpoint. As governments move to hold tech companies accountable, CSPs have a chance to lead by example – proving themselves as responsible digital infrastructure providers.
By leveraging their lawful access and network visibility, CSPs can become critical allies in the fight against organised crime. And they don’t need to build this capability from scratch – powerful analytics and intelligence solutions are already available to help operators and law enforcement work together to detect, disrupt, and prevent phone theft in real time.
Here’s how CSPs can take the lead:
Cooperate proactively with law enforcement and Europol to support real-time investigations, identify cross-border theft patterns, and streamline lawful data disclosures.
Strengthen support systems for victims – from rapid SIM and IMEI blocking to efficient, secure device disconnection.
Deploy advanced intelligence tools to detect theft hotspots, analyse behavioural anomalies, and issue real-time alerts that help prevent theft before it occurs.
Build trust and resilience by showing regulators and customers that your organisation is taking concrete steps to protect both people and data.
This is not just a compliance issue – it’s a leadership opportunity.
Are you ready to step up and protect your customers?
Talk to the REX team – take action now
To protect your customers, support the police, and stay ahead of emerging regulations, contact Subtonomy’s REX specialists to discuss some intelligence analytics options that are available to you today.
About Subtonomy REX
Subtonomy isn’t just a solution. When precision matters, we blend cutting-edge technology with user-friendly tools and deep telecoms expertise to help operators retrieve and store critical data, efficiently geolocate customers, and quickly comply with lawful requests for data. A knowledgeable and responsive partner to our telecoms clients, our REX solution provides instant access to critical data in a highly secure manner – helping operators play their part in saving lives and making our societies safer. Find out more about Subtonomy REX here.
Reference links:
