London phone theft rising with thieves using distraction techniques to target victims
Recently published data reveals London’s phone theft hotspots, with nearly 52,000 devices stolen in the capital last year as thieves on mopeds and e-bikes use violence and distraction techniques to target victims.
The worst-hit borough was the City of Westminster, where tourists flock for theatre shows and high-end shopping, with 18,863 reported incidents in the year to December – up 47 per cent from 12,836 in the previous 12 months.
Camden was the second worst affected, with 4,806 incidents, followed by Southwark (4,376), Hackney (2,761), Newham (2,585), Lambeth (2,394) and Islington (2,117). In London as a whole more than 52,000 phones were stolen last year.
Figures show 165,933 mobile phone thefts were reported to the Metropolitan Police between January 1, 2019 and December 31 last year – making up 52 per cent of the total in England and Wales.
Phone thefts rose by 20 per cent last year across England and Wales as a whole, according to figures released after a freedom of information request by The Times.
Police forces recorded 316,683 incidents between January 1, 2019, and December 31 last year, although the total will be higher because six forces failed to respond to the request and three refused to.
London is by far the worst affected city in England and Wales, with criminals targeting wealthy shoppers and foreign tourists.
How to protect your mobile from e-bike i-jackets
Criminals often use bikes and mopeds to snatch mobile phones from people, particularly at busy locations such as outside stations, shopping centres or concert venues. Often victims are approached from behind while talking or texting on phones. Criminals on mopeds or bicycles may mount the pavement to grab the phone or snatch it from the road. Sometimes when it’s a moped, a pillion passenger will snatch it.
While most thefts happen between six and ten at night, criminals operate during the day too, so always look out for what’s going on around you.
The Metropolitan Police has urged people to follow these steps to protect your phones:
Be aware of your surroundings
- If you need to call or use your phone on the street, look out for anyone on a bike or a moped near you. Look up, look out
- Make it quick so you don’t become distracted
- Don’t text while you’re walking – you won’t notice what’s going on around you
- If that’s not possible, stand away from the roadside, close to a building or wall, so no one can come up behind you
- Going hands-free can prevent a thief from snatching your phone out of your hand
Use security features on your phone
- You must switch on your phone’s security features to protect your phone
- Use the keypad lock so that thieves cannot immediately access your phone, or use the biometric authentication if your phone has it (fingerprint or facial recognition)
- Your phone may have other security features you can use – these could allow you to wipe data, lock your handset, or prevent a thief from restoring a phone to its factory settings from another internet device
- Consider installing an anti-theft app. These can be an effective way of helping police trace your phone and identify the thief
Know how to identify your phone if it’s stolen
- Every phone has an IMEI number which helps police and insurance companies to identify it if it’s stolen. UK network operators can also stop a stolen phone from working across their networks with its IMEI
- Find your IMEI number by dialling *#06# from your phone and keep a written note of it; if the phone is stolen, report the number to your mobile provider to stop it being used
- Register your valuables on an accredited property database.
Never confront a thief or risk your own safety for the sake of your mobile
Source: The Metropolitan Police
