The UK mobile phone industry and The Metropolitan Police Service, backed by the Home Office, has unveiled an 'Immobilise Phone Crime' initiative to clamp down on mobile phone crime.
Spearheaded by leading mobile phone retailers The Carphone Warehouse and The Link, the initiative is led by a high impact US$2.4 million advertising campaign with the clear message that "Stolen Phones Don't Work Anymore". With all UK mobile phone networks now sharing information on a single database, once reported stolen or lost, mobile phones are blocked across all UK networks making them useless even if the SIM card has been changed.
The launch of the initiative coincides with a police crack down on criminals under the new Mobile Telephones (Re-programming) Act. This legislation enables the police to arrest criminals fuelling the trade in stolen mobile phones, with penalties of up to five years in prison for those convicted of reprogramming mobile phones.
An advertising campaign will kick off in London and will then roll out to phone crime hotspots across the country. The majority of mobile phone retailers, including leading chains such as The Carphone Warehouse, The Link, Phones 4U and the networks' own outlets, will be putting up stickers, posters and leaflets in their stores nationwide, urging victims of mobile crime to report their loss and to help stop stolen mobile phones being sold on.
Speaking on behalf of the mobile industry, Jack Wraith, Chief Executive of MICAF (Mobile Industry Crime Action Forum), the body that represents the mobile phone industry in the UK on matters of common concern in relation to handset security and crime said: "This campaign demonstrates the industry's commitment in working with Government, Police and our customers in tackling the issue of mobile phone theft and loss. It brings to the customer's attention the need to report the loss or theft, of their phone, so that the criminal can no longer gain from a lost or stolen mobile phone. The message is also aimed at the person who may be tempted to buy such a phone, clearly and simply, don't; because it will not work once it has been reported lost or stolen."
The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service, Sir John Stevens said: "This is the first time that the police, the government, and the mobile phone industry have all worked together to crack down on mobile phone theft, something we are all deeply committed to doing.
"Mobile phone theft has been one of the major elements of street crime and this new initiative will continue the work of Operation Safer Streets in tackling the menace and misery of street robbery. I would urge the public to help us make this scheme a success by reporting lost or stolen phones and having them blocked.
"The message from this new scheme is clear - stolen mobile phones will not work. Anyone in the business of reprogramming mobile phones can also expect a prison sentence of up to five years."
Posted to the site on 5th March 2003
Posted to: www.cellular-news.com/story/8425.php