Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
The rate of “snatch thefts” in England and Wales has increased dramatically in the past year, with an estimated 78,000 such crimes reported over the 12 months to March. This has led to many victims struggling to recover their stolen property and police forces finding it difficult to arrest the perpetrators. For instance, Akara Etteh had his iPhone 13 stolen as he exited a London Tube station and, despite being able to track his device to various locations, ultimately discovered it had ended up in Shenzhen, China. Alongside the financial loss, many victims of snatch thefts have suffered due to irreplaceable photos being lost or their bank cards being used by criminals who were able to access them via the stolen smartphones.
The police claim the low prosecution rate for the offence is down to the difficulty in identifying suspects. They also suggest , however, that manufacturers and technology companies could play a more active role in helping to reduce the number of successful snatch thefts. As it can be challenging to recover stolen devices quickly enough, some victims have taken it upon themselves to try to retrieve the stolen items. However, this is considered dangerous and could result in further crimes or personal harm.
There are some measures that can help reduce the likelihood of theft and increase the chances of recovering a stolen item. For example, tracker services such as “Find My iPhone” or “Find My Device” can enable owners to alert the police the location of their stolen devices. The UK Government is holding a summit where tech firms and phone manufacturers will be asked to consider reducing the likelihood of phones being sold on the black market. Police chiefs will also be tasked with gathering more intelligence on those who steal phones and where stolen devices end up.
Police and experts think that a rising demand for second-hand phones, both domestically and internationally could be behind the recent increase in such crimes. Manufacturers could help their customers avoid being victims by adding features such as more accurate tracking to their phones. However, where the criminal sells the phone to parts suppliers in places like Shenzhen, there is little that can be done by the original owner or the authorities
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.