NCJ Number
191184
Date Published
2001
Length
6 pages
Annotation
The purpose of this bulletin is to examine the impact of mobile phone theft in New South Wales, Australia and discuss some of the options for its control.
Abstract
Ownership of mobile phones in Australia has increased substantially as improvements in technology have made them more affordable for the average consumer. Coinciding with the spread of mobile phones is an increase in the number of phones stolen each year. This bulletin examines trends in mobile phone thefts in New South Wales (NSW) over a 3 year period. The findings indicated that in 2 years incidents of mobile phone theft doubled, increasing from 19,433 to 39,891 incidents per year. The largest growth in crime associated with stolen mobile phone has been in offenses that were violent in nature. Several solutions to the problem of mobile phone theft are discussed. One solution is to reduce the opportunity to use mobile phones that have been reported as lost or stolen. When the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number of a stolen phone is known, carriers can scan their networks to identify any persons who may be using that phone unlawfully. Once the carrier obtains information about the IMEI number of a stolen phone and the corresponding Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card being used with that phone, unauthorized users could be electronically logged off the system. An alternative solution is to create a deterrent to mobile phone theft by increasing the risk associated with stolen mobile phones. This would require law enforcement agencies to be supplied with the IMEI number of all stolen mobile phones. This would enable them, with the help of carriers, to identify and track down offenders. Several preventive steps that mobile phone users should take to avoid victimization were also reviewed.