This article is more than 11 years old

This article is more than 11 years old

Police forces are being equipped with a new generation of data extraction devices to accelerate the downloading of pictures, personal information and numbers from seized mobile phones.

The hand-held machines can override password protection systems and are increasingly being used by hi-tech crime units and intelligence agencies.

Their spread, however, has raised concern from the human rights groups Liberty about the potential for intrusive searches and prompted the Information Commssioner's Office to warn about the need for appropriate security safeguards.

Drug dealers and paedophiles have used untraceable handsets to disguise trading. Terrorists have used them to detonate bombs remotely.

Detective Inspector Michael Crampton of West Yorkshire Police's hi-tech crime unit said: "We have used the devices for investigating everything - rape, robbery, child abuse and drug dealing."

West Yorkshire police is using around 20 Cellebrite Universal Forensic Extraction Devices (UFEDs). The makers claim hi-tech crime units in up to 35 of the 43 police forces in England and Wales have them. Originally developed in Israel, the machines cost around £2,500 each.

The Information Commissioner's Office said it was not opposed to the use of such equipment for the detection and prevention of crime. but warned that "proper safeguards" should be in place to ensure that information was not abused.