EDITORIAL: Tracking cell phones no easy matter

A push by police to have prepaid phone users registered on a national database sounds like good sense but, as with most attempts to legislate for criminal activity, is likely to inconvenience legitimate users while lawbreakers continue to find their way around the regulations.
Police face serious frustrations over pay-as-you-go phones, which can be purchased over the counter with no need to give identification or credit card details.
The prepaid phones are the preference of crime rings since the users are difficult to trace and the phones can be employed and then disposed of in a bid to stay a step ahead of the police.
Adopting a system similar to Australia's _ where all phone buyers would have to present a passport or other official form of identification at the point of purchase _ would help catch criminals, the police hope. Britain is looking at a similar system.
In fact, such a requirement would most likely be valuable in cases of text bullying. The ability to track down those young people who are making the lives of their peers miserable through cyber abuse would be a definite advantage.
But would the database really have the desired impact when it comes to adult crime?
Apart from the inconvenience, and cost, of establishing a national database of well over 2 million prepaid-phone users in New Zealand, there would be ongoing maintenance of the register as phones are frequently traded and sold. Who would be responsible for that administration, and who would pay?
Meanwhile, do we believe that the leader of a crime ring would front up with his passport to purchase a cellphone? Of course not.
Cellphone theft, swapping sim cards and arranging for associates to purchase phones on criminals' behalf would be simple ways around the regulations.
The motivation is good, but the practicalities of this proposal need work.