The
Police National Computer will be linked to the National Mobile
Phone Register to help officers find out whether phones have been
stolen.
The data sharing move is part of a package of measures the Home
Office is working on to prevent mobile phone crime.
At the moment only a quarter of police searches return helpful
information on stolen phones, and ministers are hoping the data
sharing move will improve that.
Home Office Minister, Alan Campbell said, "The rapidly
developing nature of mobile technology means we must continue to
work together to eliminate any future opportunities for criminals
to profit from mobile theft. As new technologies develop those
safeguards must be incorporated at the drawing board stage."
The Home Office has also been working on building safeguards
into new developments in M-commerce, which will see mobile phones
being used like debit cards. The department says it is "developing
a charter" to ensure the roll-out of M-Commerce takes crime
prevention into consideration.
