Thugs who snatch phones and bags from people on the streets are to be brought to justice in a new crackdown.

Around 78,000 people had belongings grabbed from them last year - as “snatch thefts” rocketed by 150%. Police suspect an increased demand for second-hand smartphones both in the UK and overseas is to blame.

The national police intelligence unit, Operation Opal, has now been tasked with ramping up efforts to gather urgent information on the criminals who steal mobile phones and where these devices end up, the Government has announced.

It will launch an intelligence probe to provide a stronger picture of the stolen mobile phone market and identify what more needs to be done to fight the growing illegal market. Local police will also continue to surge police patrols in areas most at risk of serious violence, including robberies at knifepoint.

Tech companies and phone manufacturers will also be hauled to a Home Office Summit to help ministers tackle the problem. They will be ordered to ensure that any stolen phones “can be quickly, easily and permanently disabled, rather than re-registered for sale on the second-hand market”.

According to Home Office analysis, there were more than 200 “snatch theft” incidents every day across England and Wales in the last 12 months. Just 0.8% of "theft from the person" resulted in a charge, and 81.9% of police investigations were closed before a suspect was found.

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Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson said: “With new phones coming to market and young people going back to school and university, many of us will have a new phone in our hands at this time of year. These figures are troubling and the government is determined to do whatever’s necessary to protect people entitled to walk the streets without the threat of robbery."

National Police Chiefs' Council lead for Personal Robbery, Commander Richard Smith, added: "Personal robbery can have a devastating impact on victims, leaving them with trauma which can be lasting. Criminals often target some of the most vulnerable in society, such as children, with threats that violence may be used, making robbery particularly traumatic. We continue to target those habitual criminals responsible for prolific offending, whilst working to prevent young people from being into this type of offending.”

If you are a victim of robbery, report it to the police or contact Crimestoppers (crimestoppers-uk.org)