Mobile phone theft drive launched

More than 21,000 mobile phones are stolen in Scotland every year

Scotland's police forces are joining a UK-wide system designed to combat mobile phone thefts.

The National Mobile Phone Register has been demonstrated in Edinburgh, where officers highlighted the advantages of using the 'immobilise' website.

The Association of Chief Police Officers Scotland (Acpos) said the technology rendered mobile phones useless to thieves.

It is estimated that 21,000 are stolen in Scotland every year.

The register is a search engine established by the Metropolitan Police which can scan several databases and establish if a mobile phone has been stolen, blocked by the mobile phone networks or registered by a member of the public as being their own property.

Police officers in Scotland's eight forces will be able to make mobile phone users in the communities in their force area more aware of the register.