An Update from the Met
Thursday 9 October – Last week, the BBC released a Panorama episode, Undercover in the Police, which revealed evidence of racism and misogyny at Charing Cross Police Station.
A response from the Met Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, can be viewed here, outlining the actions and steps being taken following the documentary.
“Alongside the immediate suspension and restriction decisions related to the 12 officers and staff featured, we have taken wider immediate and uncompromising action to handle this case.”
“These immediate actions are in line with the plan we set out in New Met for London to deliver our mission of ‘more trust, less crime and high standards’.”
We do not condone the behaviour displayed by the officers at Charing Cross, and we recognise that this conduct does not represent the many hardworking, professional, and respectful officers within the Met.
We share the concerns of our businesses about the potential impact this incident could have on policing levels and ongoing recruitment in the West End.
We have asked for reassurance that this incident will not affect policing across the area.
Mobile Phone Thefts – Operation Reckoning
This week, the Met shared results from its latest crackdown on mobile phone theft. Last year alone, approximately 80,000 phones were stolen in London, accounting for more than 50% of personal robberies and 66% of thefts from person.
In January, the Met launched Operation Reckoning – its largest ever coordinated and intelligence-led response to phone theft across London. The operation has taken a proactive, city-wide approach to tackling and disrupting the organised crime groups (OCGs) responsible for handling stolen devices.
Operation Reckoning has been delivered in three phases so far:
- Phases One and Two (January and late April/early May): Focused on raising awareness of phone theft and strengthening the Met’s investigative response. These initial phases resulted in 526 arrests, the seizure of over 1,000 stolen phones, 3,000 IMEI checks in custody, and the creation of 200 intelligence reports, leading to 63 new suspects being identified.
- Phase Three (late September to early October): Targeted the full OCG network — from street-level offenders to middle-market handlers and exporters. This phase led to a further 46 arrests, 49 search warrants, the recovery of thousands of stolen devices, and the seizure of £200,000 in cash.
One major success from this latest phase was the disruption of an OCG believed to be responsible for exporting up to 40% of all stolen smartphones in London (an estimated 35,000–40,000 handsets) to destinations including Hong Kong and China. This outcome followed a year-long investigation that began last December, when officers intercepted a shipment of around 1,000 stolen iPhones at a warehouse near Heathrow Airport.
The investigation led to the arrest and charging of two men in north-east London on suspicion of handling stolen goods. A search of linked properties uncovered around 2,000 additional devices and £80,000 in cash, while further inquiries identified 15 more suspects connected to the same network.
Thanks to this sustained operational effort, personal robbery is down by nearly 13% (11,173 compared to 12,815 in 2024) and theft from person by more than 14% (38,259 compared to 44,786 in 2024).
Early next year, the Met will host an international conference to bring together law enforcement and industry partners from across the globe to share best practice and address the ongoing challenges of tackling smartphone theft and robbery.
Meanwhile, the Met continues to target mobile phone crime hotspots through robust enforcement and strategic partnerships.
To ensure your personal safety, the Met has shared advice on how to prevent crime and phone theft.
www.met.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/personal-safety-how-to-stay-safe/mobile-phone-advice
Business Resilience
Following the horrific attacks in Manchester last week, the Met has reassured that its committed to working closely with community leaders, faith organisations, and statutory partners to provide a joined-up response. The Met will continue to play its role, alongside others, throughout this period of concern and uncertainty.
For businesses concerned about their preparedness in the face of a serious incident – especially in the run-up to one of the area’s busiest periods – HOLBA is facilitating a Business Resilience Training session.
In partnership with the West End Security Group (WESG), this tabletop exercise is designed to test and strengthen your organisation’s emergency preparedness and communication plans through a series of realistic, high-impact scenarios in the heart of the West End.
This interactive session will:
- Challenge your response to complex, fast-moving incidents
- Highlight strengths and uncover potential gaps in response plans
- Strengthen connections across local businesses and stakeholders
Register here.