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Half of mobile phone thefts go unreported

Paloma Kubiak
Written By:
Paloma Kubiak
Posted:
Updated:
24/05/2016

In the last three years, more than a quarter of UK families have fallen victim to mobile phone theft, but almost half failed to report the crime to police.

New research from gadget insurer Protect Your Bubble found 49% of victims neglected to report phone theft to police as they thought there was no chance of the item being recovered.

One in seven (14%) claimed the device wasn’t worth enough to bother reporting the theft, though the insurer says the average value of a stolen device is £301. Some 12% didn’t want to deal with the paperwork. A further 12% said they were too embarrassed to report the crime.

The findings reveal mobiles and tablets are most commonly stolen from handbags, rucksacks and other bags (43%), followed by trouser and coat pockets (23%). The most common theft hotspots are pubs and clubs.

Protect Your Bubble found 7% of devices were snatched out of victims’ hands.

One in seven (14%) victims admitted to leaving their devices unattended in public places when stolen. Some 13% of thefts took place on public transport and 11% happened while the victim was simply walking down the street.

How to protect yourself 

Stephen Ebbett, global director of Protect Your Bubble, said any theft should be reported to the police – whatever the circumstances.

“Even if your phone isn’t recovered, it helps the police to build a case against organised criminals.

“Gadget owners with insurance are far more likely to report thefts to the police – as crime reference numbers are required for insurance claims – and, with 14% of stolen gadgets worth more than £500, having cover gives financial peace of mind, too.”

If you do fall victim to a mobile thief, call your mobile provider to block your handset as soon as you can to stop you incurring further costs from unauthorised calls on top of replacing your phone.

If you haven’t already made a note of it, ask your network provider for your handset’s unique IMEI code to pass on to the police.

 


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