People who have tracked the location of their stolen mobile phones, laptops or bikes can expect swifter police action under new measures to be introduced to parliament today.

In a drive to tackle street crimes, officers will no longer need a warrant to enter a premises where stolen items have been electronically located, such as through a phone-tracking app or Bluetooth.

A police inspector will be able to sign off entry to a premises, rather than waiting for a judge or magistrate, in order to act during the “golden hour” just after a theft and increase the chances of a conviction, ministers said.

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It is one of a number of new powers in the Crime and Policing Bill, set to become law later this year, to address what the home secretary has called an “extremely frustrating” situation for victims of crime.

“Snatch thefts” of mobile phones and bags have more than doubled in the past year, with more than 200 incidents a day in 2024, according to Home Office figures. Just 0.8% of these thefts led to a charge, despite some victims offering police evidence from tracking devices.

“For the last few years, our towns and cities have seen street theft shoot up, as organised gangs have been targeting mobile phones,” Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said.

“But it is extremely frustrating for victims when they can see exactly where their stolen phone has gone but nothing is done. That is why we are determined to give the police the powers they need to move fast to crack down on these crimes that are blighting our communities.”

The powers will also apply to police retrieving stolen vehicles, tools or tractors which are geolocated. It comes alongside tougher measures for people in possession of signal jammers used to steal keyless cars, which would be punishable by up to five years in prison

The bill is a major update to existing crime legislation, with new measures to tackle knife crime, violence against women and girls, cyber crime, child sexual abuse and terrorism.

However, there are questions about how officers will have the capacity to attend to thousands of cases of stolen phones, with the government still planning to recruit an extra 13,000 community police officers as promised at the election.

Ministers have also proposed specific new criminal offences in the bill, for assaulting a shopworker – carrying a maximum sentence of six months; “cuckooing”, in which a vulnerable person’s home is used for illegal activities such as drug dealing; and climbing on war memorials. Other new crimes include spiking and using AI to produce child sexual abuse material.

The bill enshrines respect orders, which are already being piloted, to restrict the movement of people who persistently cause harm in their communities – with those who breach them to be charged with a criminal offence.

They are similar to the anti-social behaviour orders (Asbos) introduced under the last Labour government but with requirements such as attending anger management courses as well as prohibitions.

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An impact assessment of how these new offences will affect the overstretched prisons crisis will not be immediately published.

The home secretary said: “For too long communities have had to put up with rising town centre and street crime, and persistent antisocial behaviour, while neighbourhood police have been cut.

“And for years too little has been done to tackle the most serious violence of all including knife crime and violence against women and children.

“That is why the new Crime and Policing Bill is about taking back our streets and town centres, restoring respect for law and order, and giving the police and local communities the support and tools they need to tackle local crime.”

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has said Runcorn needs a new Labour MP after Mike Amesbury was jailed for beating up a constituent – and will keep his £91,000 MPs salary in prison.

She told Wilfred Frost on Sky News Breakfast: “Whether it is resigning or through recall, everyone’s clear – the people of Runcorn deserve better representation, and that would come by having a newly elected MP.”

Amesbury, who has been an MP since 2017, remains as the MP for Runcorn and Helsby after being jailed for 10 weeks on Monday.

He had at an earlier hearing pleaded guilty to assaulting Paul Fellows, 45 by punching him to the ground and hitting him five more times in Frodsham, Cheshire, after a night out last October.

He has not resigned, despite calls for him to do so.

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The 55-year-old MP will keep receiving his £91,000 salary while in prison because parliamentary rules state a recall petition, which kickstarts a by-election, can only happen once an appeal period for a custodial sentence of a year or less is exhausted.

Amesbury’s lawyer stated in court he would be appealing the 10-week sentence, of which the MP will serve four weeks in HMP Altcourse in Liverpool.

There is also no mechanism to stop pay for MPs, unless they are suspended from the House of Commons, which has not yet happened for Amesbury.

Ms Cooper added: “It’s completely unacceptable what has happened. No matter who you are. No one is above the law.”

On whether the government is considering changing the law so MPs who receive a prison sentence can no longer serve as an MP, Ms Cooper said: “I think these are matters, obviously, for the parliamentary authorities and processes that is separate from the decisions government make.

“But we are clear we need a new representation in Runcorn.”

Conservative shadow minister Victoria Atkins told Sky News the public and MPs have been “disgusted” by Amesbury keeping his job and called for the rules to be changed.

“I find it extraordinary that someone can claim their salary from their prison cell when their job is to be here in parliament, representing their constituents,” she said.

“I think the government needs to look at this and we will look at these measures very, very carefully, whatever they bring forward.

“I share the public’s disgust that a Labour MP is sitting in prison, serving a prison sentence because he beat up a constituent.”

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Amesbury was suspended by Labour two days after the incident, after CCTV footage was widely distributed.

He has been sitting as an independent since then and Labour has said he will not be admitted back in.

Reform UK has also called for Amesbury “to do the honourable thing and resign immediately”.

Amesbury pleaded guilty to assault by beating in January and described the incident as “highly regrettable” and apologised to Mr Fellows and his family outside the court.

After the judge left the courtroom in Chester on Monday, following sentencing, Amesbury’s lawyer asked for him to return and requested bail while he appealed the sentence.

Judge Tan Ikram returned to the court, sat down, paused briefly and said: “Application refused.”