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Last Words
Calling Time on Mobile Crime
By Immobilise via The Register
04/03/2003
The mobile phone industry and The Metropolitan Police Service, backed by the Home Office, today unveil an 'Immobilise Phone Crime' initiative to clamp down on mobile phone crime.
Spearheaded by leading mobile phone retailers The Carphone Warehouse and The Link, the initiative is led by a high impact £1.5million advertising campaign with the clear message that "Stolen Phones Don't Work Anymore". With all UK mobile phone networks now sharing information on a single database, once reported stolen or lost, mobile phones are blocked across all UK networks making them useless even if the SIM card has been changed.
The mobile phone industry has also launched an informative website, www.immobilise.com and set up a new phone line to facilitate the reporting of lost and stolen handsets – 08710 123 123.
The launch of the initiative coincides with a police crack down on criminals under the new Mobile Telephones (Re-programming) Act. This legislation enables the police to arrest criminals fuelling the trade in stolen mobile phones, with penalties of up to five years in prison for those convicted of reprogramming mobile phones.
The campaign has full backing and support from the Home Office, with the Home Secretary, David Blunkett, introducing its launch in central London today.
The Immobilise Mobile Phone Crime advertising campaign is part of an ongoing programme by the mobile phone industry, the police and the Government to clamp down on mobile phone theft.
The advertising campaign will kick off in London today and will then roll out to phone crime hotspots across the country. The majority of mobile phone retailers, including leading chains such as The Carphone Warehouse, The Link, Phones 4U and the networks' own outlets, will be putting up stickers, posters and leaflets in their stores nationwide, urging victims of mobile crime to report their loss and to help stop stolen mobile phones being sold on.
Speaking on behalf of the mobile industry, Jack Wraith, Chief Executive of MICAF (Mobile Industry Crime Action Forum), the body that represents the mobile phone industry in the UK on matters of common concern in relation to handset security and crime said:
"This campaign demonstrates the industry's commitment in working with Government, Police and our customers in tackling the issue of mobile phone theft and loss. It brings to the customer's attention the need to report the loss or theft, of their phone, so that the criminal can no longer gain from a lost or stolen mobile phone. The message is also aimed at the person who may be tempted to buy such a phone, clearly and simply, don't; because it will not work once it has been reported lost or stolen."
Home Secretary David Blunkett said:
"I'm very pleased to support this new campaign which continues the work we started last year. Mobile phone users can be confident the police, the Government and the industry are committed to tackling phone theft. "We introduced a new criminal offence of reprogramming which carries penalties of up to five years in jail. This sends a simple message to thieves: stealing mobile phones is pointless and reprogramming them could land offenders with a hefty prison term. Police forces have already made several arrests in operations against alleged reprogrammers. This crackdown will continue and more operations are already being planned to stop those fuelling the trade in stolen phones."
The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service, Sir John Stevens said:
"This is the first time that the police, the government, and the mobile phone industry have all worked together to crack down on mobile phone theft, something we are all deeply committed to doing. "Mobile phone theft has been one of the major elements of street crime and this new initiative will continue the work of Operation Safer Streets in tackling the menace and misery of street robbery. I would urge the public to help us make this scheme a success by reporting lost or stolen phones and having them blocked. "The message from this new scheme is clear - stolen mobile phones will not work. Anyone in the business of reprogramming mobile phones can also expect a prison sentence of up to five years."
Read the press release at Immobilise
Links:
MICAF
The Register article
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