Way forward: A 'kill switch' could soon be installed in Samsung mobile phones and tablets which would allowthe devices to be disabled if they are stolen, it has emerged

A 'kill switch' could soon be installed in Samsung mobile phones and tablets which would allow the devices to be disabled if they are stolen. The new feature would allow the phone manufacturer to disable a stolen device even if a thief had tampered with the machine. It comes afterApple announced last month that its smartphones are to be installed with a similar switch. The authorities in South Korea- which are struggling to copewith an increase in gadget thefts - have asked the country's major technology makes - including Samsung - to begin installing the feature. Despite users currently being able to lock their screens to prevent strangers from gaining access to devices, thieves can work around this. They often hack into mobile phones to remove the barriers or instead replace SIM cards A kill switch would allow devices to be disabled by phone operators and manufacturers even if thieveshad taken this action. Apple announced last month that the capability will be added as part of the latest iOS update due out in the autumn. And the Mayor of London BorisJohnson is among politicians pushing all phone manufacturers to follow suit and do more to tackle phone theft. There were more than 100,000 'thefts from person' in the UK last year - an 8 per cent increase on 2011. Last month, pop singer Katie Melua had her iPhone 5 rippedfrom her by muggers as she walked from her Notting Hill studios.