A private members Bill introduced by Kevan Jones (Lab, Durham North) to make it more effective in disrupting reprogramming activity, by making it easier for the police to conduct operations to gather evidence of offences under the Mobile Telephone (Re-programming) Act 2002.

He wrote: “The aim of my bill is to amend the Mobile Telephone (Re-programming) Act 2002 to make it more effective in disrupting reprogramming activity, by making it easier for the police to conduct operations to gather evidence of offences under the Act.

“Tackling mobile phone theft is key to reducing street crime. A mobile phone is taken in half of all robberies, and in 30 per cent of robberies it is the only item stolen.

“The 2002 Act makes it illegal to re-programme a phone’s IMEI number or to possess / supply the equipment needed to re-programme phones with the intent of doing so. This legislation was a world first, received cross-party support and was welcomed by police and industry, but there is a need to make it easier for the police to prosecute under the Act.