National Mobile Phone Crime Unit

Report: 10
Date: 12 February 2004
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report provides information detailing how mobile phones feature in street crime in London. It also includes information surrounding the new National Mobile Phone Crime Unit (NMPCU), discusses its aim and objectives and provides an overview of its structure and current performance.

A. Recommendations

That the report be noted.

B. Supporting information

Crime statistics on mobile phone crime

1. For the purposes of this report, the available crime data has been sourced covering the period Oct 2002 – Nov 2003 (weeks 27 – 86 of data returned to the Home Office as part of the Street Crime Initiative) with the exception of Chart 5.

Total street crime

2. Over the stated period it can be seen from Chart 1 that the specified total street crime offences (Robbery, Snatch Theft, and Theft From Person) have seen an overall reduction and are maintaining a downward trend.

3. Comparing the week periods of 27-38 to 75-86, Robbery offences have fallen from 9,463 offences to 8,918 offences (6%), Snatch Theft offences have fallen from 4,648 to 4,336 offences (7%), and Theft From Person (including Snatch Theft) offences have fallen from 12,155 to 10,091 (17%).

Chart 1: Total Street Crime Offences (see supporting material)

Street crime involving mobile phones (and other property)

4. The data in Chart 2 shows that, with the exception of Robbery, the specified street crime offences where a mobile phone is involved have also seen an overall reduction and since March 2002, all offences follow a downward trend.

5. Comparing the week periods of 27-38 to 75-86, Robbery offences have risen from 3,936 offences to 4,016 offences (2%). However, from week periods 39-50 to 75-86 Robbery offences have fallen from 4,673 to 4,016 (14%). Snatch Theft offences have fallen from 3,029 to 2,734 offences (10%), and Theft From Person (including Snatch Theft) offences have fallen from 5,499 to 4,786 (13%).

Chart 2: Street Crime Offences involving mobile phones (see supporting material)

Street crime involving a mobile phone only

6. From the street crime data where mobile phones are the only property stolen, Chart 3 illustrates that again, the specified street crime offences have seen an overall reduction and are all following a downward trend.

7. Comparing the week periods of 27-38 to 75-86, Robbery offences have fallen from 1,547 offences to 1,486 offences (4%), Snatch Theft offences have fallen from 2,243 to 1,943 offences (13%), and Theft From Person (including Snatch Theft) offences have fallen from 4,309 to 3,641 (16%).

Chart 3: Street Crime involving a mobile phone only (see supporting material)

Street crime involving mobile phones only, as a percentage of total street crime

8. Charts 1 - 3 illustrate that of the specified offences, both the total number of street crime offences and offences relating to mobile phones are on a downward trend.

9. However, when attempting to ascertain trends in relation to the extent mobile phones are a potential generator of street crime (and make assessments as to the effectiveness of activity attempting to combat mobile phone crime), it is necessary to consider the percentage of mobile phone (only) crimes against the total number of street crime offences.

10. In light of this, Chart 4 illustrates that the percentage of mobile phone only crime, compared against the total street crime, has remained relatively stable since March 2002 of these data returns.

Chart 4: Street Crime involving mobile phones only a % of total street crime (see supporting material)

11. Therefore a premise may be that, although the specified crimes are decreasing, the extent to which mobile phones are a potential crime generator for current street crime levels has remained relatively the same.

Mobile phone ownership

12. One factor that is not included in this data is the extent to which mobile phone ownership has increased over this period and the impact that this may have on the market profile of criminality relating to mobile phones.

13. Whilst statistics relating specifically to the Metropolitan Police Area are not available, figures for national levels of phone ownership are collated.

14. Chart 5 illustrates that mobile phone ownership rose sharply from April to December of 2002 (46,922000 subscribers to 49,921000 respectively), dropped slightly between December 2002 and March 2003, and then rose again from March to June 2003 (49,677000 to 50,219000 respectively). The figures for the second half of 2003 have not yet been published by OFTEL, however Industry reports indicate a continued increase in sales to around 54 million.

15. In light of this information it can be seen that, despite the slight dip between October and March, there has been an upward trend in mobile phone ownership over the period covered by the crime data.

Chart 5: National mobile phone ownership (see supporting material)

16. Therefore, when applying this trend to the specified crime data, it can be argued that increased levels of ownership have lead to a larger market for theft of mobile phones and that, consequently, the stability of the percentage of mobile phone crime against the total street crime volume, can be seen as a positive result as it suggests a ‘controlled’ market.

17. The official figures to be provided by OFTEL will be key to ascertaining whether or not these conditions improved or worsened for the second half of 2003.

National Mobile Phone Crime Unit

18. On Wednesday 17 December 2003, the National Mobile Phone Crime Unit (NMPCU) based at 58 Sirdar Road, Nottingdale London W11 was launched by Hazel Blears MP and Lord Toby Harris. Once fully operational, the unit will house 40 personnel consisting of police officers and police staff from the MPS & other constabularies, as well as Home Office funded analysts and experts from the telecommunication industry.

19. The NMPCU has been created to combat groups and individuals who; handle, reprogram and export stolen mobile phones.

20. Working in partnership with the: Government, Telecom Industry and other Law Enforcement Agencies, the NMPCU will disrupt and reduce the opportunity for theft of mobile phones. A schematic of the structure of the NMPCU can be found at Appendix 1.

Aims

21. Primary Aim - To reduce street crime and the number of mobile phones stolen during street crime offences.

22. Secondary Aim - To identify and target the market for stolen mobile phones

Terms of reference

23. To act as co-ordinators between industry, police and other law enforcement agencies. The NMPCU will gather, develop and disseminate intelligence on groups and individuals who; handle, reprogram and export stolen mobile phones. This will cover all levels of criminality as described within the National Intelligence Model.

24. The NMPCU will prioritise the targeting of those linked to street crime but will not be responsible for their arrest or prosecution. This role will remain with the home BOCU or Force area.

25. The unit is also able to provide the following support, functions and facilities.

• Intelligence on those involved in mobile phone crime.
• Expert advice on mobile phone crime.
• Facilitate liaison with the telecommunication industry.
• Advise and assist on pro-active operations.
• Act as a liaison for publicity.
• Promulgate minimum standards of investigation for Mobile Phone Crime.
• Advise on false reporting of street crime.

Achievements of NMPCU

26. Since the formation of the unit the following results have been achieved

• Intelligence reports generated by NMPCU – 511
• Proactive operations generated by NMPCU – 51
• Tasking requests received by the NMPCU– 97
• Total arrests – 27
• Total phones seized - 1800

Performance indicators for the NMPCU

27. The performance indicators for the unit have yet to be set. A programme board chaired by Commander John Yates has been established to determine these and other strands of work relating to the NMPCU.

28. Following the first sitting of the NMPCU’s Programme Board (5th February2004) a more comprehensive report surrounding the units performance will be available.

C. Equality and diversity implications

To date there are no equality or diversity implications surrounding the NMPCU. These titles do feature within the strands of the Programme Board work to ensure that such issues are appropriately identified, addressed and recorded.

D. Financial implications

The refurbishing of the NMPCU is still ongoing and therefore development costs are not yet available. Funding has been provided centrally and is used to the benefit of all the London Boroughs to assist in the running of their safer street proactivity.

E. Background papers

None.

F. Contact details

Report author: DCI Chris Foster, NMPCU.

For more information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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