POLICE have said mobile phone thefts in North Yorkshire should become "less prevalent" now mobile phone companies have agreed to switch off stolen phones.

PC George Beattie, of Selby Police, said people buying phones with "dubious history" face being ripped-off.

His comments come after a Nokia 3310 mobile phone was stolen from a car in the Londesborough Arms Hotel car park, in Main Street, Selby. Thieves smashed the window of a green Vauxhall Cavalier parked there at about 5.45pm on Monday.

Mr Beattie said: "This kind of offence will hopefully become less prevalent now that the mobile phones companies have agreed to unite and switch off stolen phones. Anyone stealing a mobile phone is wasting their time. Anyone buying a phone with a dubious history is going to get ripped off."

Updated: 12:00 Wednesday, November 06, 2002