Five men arrested after hundreds of stolen mobile phones found in south London police raid

Five men have been arrested after hundreds of mobile phones that are thought to have been stolen were discovered during a police raid in south-east London.

Scotland Yard stormed a home in Brockley on Wednesday as part of an investigation into phone robberies and thefts across Lewisham, Greenwich and Southwark.

During the search, officers discovered multiple bags containing hundreds of phones "many of which were packaged in foil bricks", said the Met Police in a statement on Thursday.

It added officers have since "identified that some of these phones have been stolen in recent robberies and thefts across the city".

"As officers continue to work on this investigation over the coming days and weeks, it is anticipated that this will be the case for the overwhelming majority," said the force.

Many of the seized phones have been tracked to other countries, including China, Hong Kong and Algeria – with investigating officers believing some may belong to students or visiting tourists.

Five men, aged between 20 and 50, were arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods following the Brockley raid.

They remained in custody in south London on Thursday, said the Met.

Detective Constable Callen Fahey, from the South East Command Unit, said: "Yesterday’s arrests will play a significant role in disrupting mobile phone robbery and theft in south London, and keeping our communities safe.

"Our decisive action sends a clear message that we will not tolerate this kind of criminality – which can have a long-lasting impact on victims – and those responsible will be caught.

"We will continue to target criminals and our officers remain committed to tackling robbery and violent crime in our city."