Apple and Google executives clashed with London’s Metropolitan Police over strategies to combat phone theft, a significant issue in the UK.
Metropolitan Police’s James Conway informed the Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee that mobile phone theft accounts for two-thirds of all thefts in London.
Considering that up to 70% of knife crime is robbery-related, Conway emphasized the substantial contribution of phone theft to violent crime.
The Met proposed that phone companies utilize the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number to block stolen devices.
However, Apple and Google, market leaders, expressed reservations.
Apple’s head of law enforcement requests, Gary Davis, cautioned the committee that IMEI blocking might not fully address the problem, citing potential for fraud and concerns about false claims of ownership.
While UK networks block stolen phones using IMEIs, this isn’t globally effective, allowing criminals to use stolen phones internationally.
Davis highlighted the substantial number of fraud attempts faced by phone owners – over a thousand monthly attempts to access devices for malicious purposes, including blackmail.
He emphasized Apple’s expertise in security, suggesting their input should be valued.
Both companies highlighted new security features introduced in the past year to combat phone theft, including Apple’s Stolen Device Protection and Android’s Theft Detection Lock.
Police emphasized the need for action from providers, noting that 75% of stolen phones are moved abroad, with a significant portion ending up in China or Hong Kong.
The Met’s chief technology officer, Darren Scates, urged cloud providers to prevent stolen devices from accessing their services, a measure requiring no police involvement and one they’ve requested since October 2023 without success.
Some MPs criticized the tech giants for inaction, with Lib Dem MP Martin Wrigley stating that they could immediately block blacklisted IMEIs from their services but choose not to.
Google’s Simon Wingrove responded that a comprehensive solution necessitates industry-wide collaboration, as the IMEI database management lies with network carriers.
He highlighted Android’s ongoing improvements to factory reset protection.
A key point of contention involved the market for second-hand parts. Davis argued that focusing solely on IMEI blocking would overlook this issue, a perspective met with frustration from MPs.
Labour MP Chi Onwurah summarized the committee’s view that neither Google nor Apple presented a sufficient plan for phone protection without IMEI blocking.
Apple emphasized Activation Lock, linking device components to Apple IDs, as its primary protection, despite acknowledging ongoing theft.
While the committee focused on IMEI blocking, Conservative MP Kit Malthouse expressed the sentiment that Apple was dragging its feet.
Davis considered Activation Lock a significant step but acknowledged IMEI blocking as a potential next step, emphasizing the importance of continued police requests for stolen device information.
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