Is Your Phone Safe?

Thieves use a variety of techniques to separate you from your mobile phone. Pick-pocketing and ‘snatch’ theft (where your phone is quite literally grabbed from your hand) are still the most common, making up 40% of all phone theft incidents.

However, moped-enabled crime is also on the rise, where the thief drives past on a moped and seizes the mobile phone from the victim’s hand. Numbers of ‘moped thefts’ in London have increased thirty-fold in the space of five years, with 23,000 people experiencing it in the last year alone.

Whilst not a regular occurrence in our Quarter, as a central London location we do see these incidents occurring. Commonly, one (there are sometimes up to three) will distract you while an accomplice will snatch your phone.

And then there’s carelessness… In one survey, it was revealed that 44% of all smartphone users had their phone stolen after accidentally leaving it somewhere (for example, in a café), only to discover that it had gone when they returned. It’s also risky to leave your phone on display in your car, even if you’re only gone for a few minutes.

Find out more about phone theft on the Met’s website, and ensure you report any stolen phones to the police immediately.