Met police disrupt suspected international smuggling ring in UKs largest phone theft crackdown
Guardian1 day
UK: Police Bust International Phone Smuggling Ring
Above: Two members of the Metropolitan Police on Oct. 2, 2025 in London, England. Image copyright: Leon Neal/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
London police just pulled off the UK's largest phone theft crackdown, dismantling international smuggling rings and arresting dozens of criminals. While more must be done, the Met has driven down robbery by 13% and theft by 14%, while solving 163% more shoplifting cases than last year. Trust in police remains strong at 73% as officers focus resources on the crimes that matter most to communities.
Establishment-critical narrative
London's crime crisis is spiraling out of control, with knife attacks up 10% and the Met catching only one in 170 phone thieves. Even the capital's high-end districts have become dangerous no-go zones. Elite politicians living in leafy suburbs dismiss these concerns while ordinary Londoners face daily threats from brazen criminals who know they won't face the consequences for their crimes.