New Police Powers
Police will be given new powers to search homes without a warrant for stolen mobile phones under major new legislation announced today which targets theft, street crime, shop-lifting and anti-social behaviour.
The Crime and Policing Bill is a part of the government’s "Safer Streets mission" and it is expected to become law by the end of 2025.
Under the bill, police would gain the power to enter and search a property without a court warrant for a stolen mobile phone or other items that have been electronically tracked, such as laptops or RFD tagged bikes. The power would mean that victims of mobile phone thefts who track their device while it is in the hands of a criminal could call on police to recover it quickly.
The bill would also include scrapping a £200 threshold for shoplifting to be considered a crime worthy of prosecution, which meant lower value thefts are not prioritised by police; a situation condemned as "ludicrous" by the Home Secretary.
Other measures previously announced in the bill include:
An offence of assaulting a shop worker - also a Conservative commitment before the 2024 General Election.
A new police power to seize without warning off-road bikes or e-scooters.
A new offence of spiking drinks, separate to current assault laws.
Giving judges the power to issue a Stalking Prevention Order against a suspect, even if they are not convicted of a crime.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the bill would address an "epidemic of street theft", including a rise in phone and bag snatching and shoplifting, and introduce new "Respect Orders" with restrictions similar to the old Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) of the 1990s.
However, questions persist over whether police have the funding to make the government's plan work.