UK Speeds Up Blocking of Stolen Handsets

The UK's Mobile Industry Crime Action Forum (MICAF) says that it has achieved the milestone of having all reported stolen phones blocked from the host phone networks within 24 hours, and 98% are blocked across all UK networks within 48 hours.

The latest round of tests conducted during September this year reveal that the mobile phone industry has far exceeded the target to block 80 per cent of stolen phones as set out in the Mobile Phone Industry Crime Reduction Charter agreed between industry leaders and the then-Home Secretary on 28 July 2006.

Since the Charter was signed, industry, in conjunction with the other stakeholders set a benchmark on which future performance would be measured and this was set at 80%. In February this year the first test of 2006 achieved a 90 per cent pass and in these recent test the figure now stands at 98 per cent.

MICAF Chair Jack Wraith said "This test demonstrates the ongoing commitment by the industry to ensure that when a mobile phone handset is reported stolen it is barred. Network operators have again demonstrated the robustness of procedures and processes in place to ensure speedy and timely barring."

According to the British Crime Survey, seven out of ten (69 per cent) mobile phone thefts were the result of handsets being left unattended, and a handset is stolen in around 52 per cent of robberies and is the only item stolen in around 28 per cent.

In April this year it became an offence in the UK to offer to or agree to (or offer or agree for a third party to) re-programme a mobile phone. Previously police officers had to catch someone in the act of re-programming a mobile before arresting them. The new measure was part of the Violent Crime Reduction Act.

Naturally, that doesn't stop the handset being shipped overseas and used on foreign networks which do not have a record of the stolen IMEI.

Posted to the site on 28th October 2007