Mobile companies pledge crackdown

[Rocol]

Mobile phone companies are fighting back against muggers and thieves with a pledge to disable more stolen handsets.

The Mobile Industry Crime Action Forum (MICAF) and industry bosses are promising to blacklist eight out of ten stolen phones within 48 hours of the theft being reported to their home network.

Home Secretary John Reid said he hoped the move would be the "first large step forward" in tackling the rise in street crime.

An 8 per cent surge in robbery recorded by police last year is thought to be largely driven by demand for hi-tech phones and other electronics.

Dr Reid said: "The message to the criminals is that mobile phone theft is now a useless occupation, because the handsets themselves will be useless within a very short period of time.

"If you steal mobiles you will not be able to sell them."

Chairman of the Mobile Industry Crime Action Forum, Jack Wraith, said a "normal, run-of-the-mill" case of theft would currently be blocked on all networks within 24 to 36 hours.

"This takes us further forward because for the first time it is auditable and accountable," he said.

"In the past, companies have not been tested on it."

The five companies - Vodafone, O2, T Mobile, Orange and 3 - share information on stolen handsets and use the phone's unique IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number to block their use on all networks.

"If you steal mobiles you will not be able to sell them."

That is not correct, the blocking of the IMEI numbers will only prevent it from being used on the UK networks .. it can still be sold, and used abroad

Yes Rocol but its nice to know they can't use them here