The Metropolitan Police are to crack down on people in London who falsely report their mobile phones as stolen in order to claims on their insurance policies.
The police estimated that approximately 2,500 Londoners a year lie in order to claim for a phone that was lost instead of stolen.
Scotland Yard said people could be charged with deception or wasting police time, with the offence treated as seriously as shoplifting.
Commander Brian Moore said the levels of false reporting seen in the capital were ‘unacceptable', said a report.
He said false reporting was inflating the levels of robbery in London, which in turn made people feel less safe on the streets.
He also pointed out that false reporting was a drain on police time and resources, diverting officers from dealing with genuine crimes.
Scotland Yard said part of the problem was shop staff advising customers to falsely report phones as stolen, said the report.
