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.
