A new UK Act aimed at tackling the rise in mobile phone theft came into force on Friday. New offences in the Act could mean five years in prison and unlimited fines for those re-programming stolen mobile phones.
The Mobile Telephone (Re-programming) Act 2002, which received Royal Assent on 24th July, backs moves by mobile phone operators to bar stolen phones from their networks. It makes new offences of:
- Changing the unique identifying characteristic of a mobile phone (the IMEI number) without written permission from the manufacturer; and
- Possessing, supplying or offering to supply the necessary equipment with the intent to use it for re-programming mobile phones.
Government figures have suggested that stolen mobiles are now involved in 50% of all robberies in London.