Police seize more than 1,100 suspected stolen phones in Kilburn crackdown
Police said this week that a week-long operation in Kilburn, north-west London, has led to 45 arrests and the seizure of more than 1,100 suspected stolen mobile phones, as officers targeted crime and anti-social behaviour along Kilburn High Road.
The Metropolitan Police said the activity followed local concerns about theft, illegal goods and street-level crime. Officers carried out raids on shops and nearby premises, alongside increased patrols in the area.
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The scale of what was found in a single shop stands out. More than 1,100 suspected stolen phones were recovered, far higher than initially expected, suggesting a concentrated market for stolen devices operating in plain sight.
Elsewhere, officers recovered two machetes from a nearby barber shop. A van linked to drug dealing was also identified, containing nitrous oxide canisters worth around £3,000. The gas, often referred to as laughing gas, has increasingly been linked to anti-social behaviour and low-level distribution across parts of London, with its misuse now restricted under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016.
In total, 74 illegal e-bikes were seized during the operation. Police have raised concerns in recent years about their use in phone thefts and rapid getaways, particularly in busy urban areas.
Inspector Yu Zhang, who led the operation, said the week had resulted in “drugs, weapons and dangerous illegal e-bikes taken off the streets,” adding that the action was intended to respond directly to what local communities had been reporting.
Taken together, the seizures point to how visible and concentrated some forms of street-level crime have become in parts of London, particularly where stolen goods can be moved quickly and openly.
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[Image Credit | Yahoo]
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