The Memo: Met Police catch major international smuggling gang in largest ever operation against phone theft

The Metropolitan police has caught a gang suspected of sending 40,000 stolen phones from the UK to China. Operation Echosteepis the largest operation against phone theft ever carried out in the UK, with the Met police arresting 18 people and finding over 2,000 stolen phones. Police estimate that the gang could be behind up to half of the phone thefts in London.  

Operation Echosteep began after a victim electronically tracked their stolen phone to a warehouse near Heathrow Airport on Christmas Eve last year. Security at the warehouse found it in a box of about 900 phones, almost all of which were stolen. During their investigation, police discovered that the phones were due to be sent to Hong Kong.  

Police prevented further shipments and used forensics to identify two men as suspects. They captured these suspects while they were transporting dozens of stolen phones in a car. The suspects have been charged with conspiring to receive stolen goods and conspiring to conceal or remove criminal property. Phones found in the car were wrapped in foil, a common tactic used by thieves to avoid detection while transporting stolen phones and similar devices.  

Police found approximately 2,000 additional phones in properties linked to these suspects. Since then, a third man has been charged with the same offences. At least 15 more people have been arrested on suspicion of theft, handling stolen goods and conspiracy to steal. 

So, what kind of sentences can the suspects expect to receive if they’re found guilty? Sentences for conspiracy to handle stolen goods(under the Theft Act 1968) depend heavily on the circumstances, such as the involvement of the suspect and the value of the stolen goods, and can range from community service to eight years in prison. Those found guilty of conspiracy to conceal or remove criminal property under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 face at least a fine and, at most, 14 years in prison.  

There has been a sharp rise in the number of phone thefts in London in recent years. 28,609 incidents were reported in 2020, and this number grew to over 80,500in 2024. Three quarters of phone thefts in the UK occur in London, and tourist areas like Oxford Street and Westminster are hotspots. It’s likely that a growing demand for secondhand phones, both in the UK and abroad, has been contributing to this spike in phone theft. Apple products are more likely to be targeted because they’re more profitable to sell abroad than rival brands. The Met police discovered that thieves could be paid up to £300 per phone, and these phones would then be sold in China for up to approximately £3,700. 

The investigation has led to additional arrests related to phone smuggling networks in the capital.