Telecom firms and the justice ministry have reached agreement on making mobile phones totally unusable if they are reported stolen, in an effort to cut down phone-related mugging.

Currently, phone firms only block sim cards when thefts are reported and phones can be started up again if the thief uses a new card. According to RTL news, phones are stolen in 60% of muggings.
Phone firms will need the unique serial number of the mobile phone in order to stop it working again, Nos says.
KPN, Vodafone and T-Mobile have signed up to the agreement. Belgium, Germany and Britain have already introduced blocks on stolen phones.

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