The government's surprise wildfire phone alarm led to the discovery of several illegally held smartphones in Devon's jails.
The national alert last Friday was designed to warn about the dangers of disposable barbecues as temperatures soared.
It came as a surprise to almost everyone in the country. But few were as shocked as prisoners who had managed to smuggle mobiles behind bars. When the alarm sounded just after meal time, it is understood that several cells began reverberating with the loud emergency noise. This allowed staff to track down several hidden devices.
The prison service is remaining tight-lipped on reports that the alarm led to the seizure of a number of phones at HMP Exeter and HMP Channings Wood. But it has not denied the reports, saying only that mobile phones have no place in prisons.
DevonLive understands the alarm was a blessing to prison governors. But it is also likely to be an embarrassment to authorities because it highlights how many phones are in jail.
Prisoners are only allowed to use monitored land lines. Inmates are strictly forbidden from possessing phones, but they are regularly smuggled inside and sometimes used to run outside criminal operations.
A Prisons Service spokesperson said: “Mobile phones have no place in prisons, they undermine security, facilitate criminality, and can cause harm to victims and the public. We have invested over £40 million in physical security measures to clamp down on illicit items and those who break prison rules can face extra time behind bars.”
Prison authorities across the country are cracking down on illegal phones and weapons getting into prisons by improving windows, netting, and grilles.
The courts in Devon regularly deal with offenders caught with phones. They are commonly tiny, basic devices. But iPhones and Android devices are also regularly smuggled in.
Offenders caught with phones typically received an extra few months on top of their sentence.
Nationwide Phone Alert Uncovered Hidden Phones in Devon Prisons