Major businesses will have to acknowledge that they have civic as well as profit-making responsibilities

Sir Edward Crew

In his annual report, detailing the performance of the force, Sir Edward said the theft of mobiles was largely to blame for a large increase in robberies.

"If we want to make significant inroads against mobile theft major businesses will have to acknowledge that they have civic as well as profit-making responsibilities.

"The mobile phone companies must do much more to render mobile phones useless immediately after being informed of a loss," he said.

Banls' investment

"Major banks and financial institutions can and should do more to prevent the growing crime of credit card fraud and robbery."

A spokesman for the Federation of Communication Services, which represents mobile phone companies, said: "We are working with government on a new initiative to combat the new wave of mobile phone thefts."

Richard Tyson-Davies, spokesman for the Association for Payment Clearing Services, said an extra �1bn was about to be invested by banks to tackle credit card fraud.

"Don't point the finger too fiercely at the banks because we are committed to fighting fraud," he said.

Sir Edward also attacked the Home Office.

"My main complaint is an inadequate number of officers to deliver the best service," he said.

Extra officers

He acknowledged that the government had come up with more money for recruitment, which was spent on providing an extra 261 officers in the West Midlands last year, 234 of them constables.

But he added: "It was frustrating that other forces, whose priorities hitherto have not been to increase their size, were rewarded with a larger allocation. This is unjust."

A Home Office spokeswoman said: "Funds are not allocated in terms of police numbers but on the basis of location. The West Midlands force is getting a four point three per cent increase in funding this year which is in line with the national average."