The worst regions for mobile phone theft

With 264 mobile phone thefts reported to the police every day, we reveal the areas where you're most likely to be a victim.

If you’ve ever had your mobile phone stolen, you’re not alone. In fact, 264 mobile phone thefts are reported every day. This is according to research from insurance company LV=, which also found such crimes have increased by 25% during the past three years.

Pickpocketing is the most common form of mobile phone theft with one in six victims having their phone stolen this way.

Crime hotspots

If you’re planning a trip to London’s Hyde Park, you’d be wise to keep a close eye on your phone – 163 mobile phones were stolen in the area between May and August.

Over in Wales, police in Cardiff have received 125 reports of phone theft in the Greyfriars Road area so far this year.

Other high risk areas include Sheffield city centre, where there have been 1,309 thefts. Likewise, the Castle Ward in Leicester and Bristol city centre are also hotspots.

Gadget insurer Protectyourbubble.com also conducted similar research earlier this year. According to its data, those in Brighton are 4.4 times more likely to have their phone stolen than the national average. Next up, Manchester residents are 3.8 times more likely to fall victim to this type of crime.

In contrast, Hull and Sunderland experienced low levels of mobile phone theft, Protectyourbubble.com found.

Any chance I’ll get my phone back?

Sadly, the likelihood is that your phone is gone forever. According to LV=, only one percent of stolen phones is ever recovered... not great odds, then.

In fact, the research indicates that 40% of victims don’t report the incident to the police.

You could increase the chances that your phone will be recovered if stolen by adding your International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number to Immobilise – the national property register. The IMEI is unique to your phone and normally found underneath the battery.

Should I take out insurance?

The answer to this question inevitably depends on the type of handset you have. A couple of years ago, I had my phone taken by a pickpocket on a bus. Considering the handset had only set me back £10, it wasn’t a great financial loss, but it was infuriating nonetheless.

Even if I’d had insurance at that point, the excess would almost certainly have been more than £10, so there would have been little point in claiming.

If, however, you own an iPhone, Blackberry or Android, it could be worthwhile taking out cover and a number of insurers specialise in gadgets.

Alternatively, you might be able to add your phone to your home contents policy, which may mean it’s covered away from the property.

Mobile phones and your data

If your phone is stolen and the culprits get hold of information about you stored on the device, you could be at risk of identity theft.

To minimise the risk, it’s wise to remotely erase all your data if the phone is stolen.

A number of apps such as Where’s My Droid and Find My iPhone allow you to trace missing phones and, if necessary, delete data such as your contacts, social networking accounts and call history.

**This material is for information purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. We strongly encourage our readers not to rely solely on this content, but to seek independent advice when making financial decisions.**

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