The police are to be given new powers to search homes for stolen mobile phones without a warrant under major new legislation announced this morning
Under the The Crime and Policing Bill police will 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 Bluetooth-tagged bikes.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper launching the new powers said
‘We know the huge frustration that there is for victims of crime when they can say I can see where my phone is and yet there is no action’
Described by the Government as one of the biggest legislative updates to policing for decades, a package of new laws will tackle antisocial behaviour, shop theft and street crime.
The new laws will be backed up by the recruitment of 13,000 extra neighbourhood policing roles, with a named officer in every community.
