80% of stolen handsets rendered useless in the UK within 48 hours

Link: Gov claims mobile phone theft waning as penalty rises | The Register

Mobile phone theft has almost been eliminated, according to the Home Office.

It announced last week that 80 per cent of handsets are now blocked within 48 hours of the theft being notified, and new jail terms have been introduced for those found attempting to reprogramme stolen handsets.

That’s pretty neat. But handsets are still being stolen… or, …er… ‘lost’…