- Police data reveals that fewer than one per cent of mobile phone thefts in the UK result in a charge, with nearly nine in ten cases closed without a suspect being identified.
- The Metropolitan Police closed 95 per cent of their investigations into phone thefts, with only 0.3 per cent of reported cases leading to a charge.
- The issue gained prominence after Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, had his government phone stolen last year, which contained messages relevant to an investigation involving Lord Peter Mandelson.
- The Liberal Democrats have criticised the low charge rate, calling for a dedicated National Crime Agency unit to tackle organised gangs and for phone providers to immediately disable stolen devices.
- Sir Keir Starmer confirmed McSweeney's phone was stolen and reported to the police, dismissing suggestions that the theft was linked to the release of files concerning Lord Mandelson as "a little bit far-fetched."
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