Apple and Google clash with police and MPs over phone thefts

Senior figures at Apple and Google have clashed with the police over its recommendations for how best to deal with phone theft in the UK.

The Met’s James Conway told the Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee – which is considering the question – that two-thirds of thefts in London now relate to mobile phones.

With up to 70% of knife crime linked to robbery, he told MPs that meant phone theft was “significantly driving parts of our violence problem”.

The Met wants phone companies to use the unique identifying number – known as an IMEI – that each device has to block any that are reported as stolen.

But Apple and Google – who dominate the market – raised concerns about the…