Written by We’re all constantly looking forward to the latest handset releases and new platforms that are released every month here in the UK, but as the phones become more sophisticated the number of them being stolen is on the rise.
There has been a recent surge in sales of smartphones as everyone scrambles to get their hands on newer, faster and sleeker technology but now a warning has been issued to mobile phone users to make sure their phones are protected due to a massive increase in mobile phone theft.
According to life assistance company CPP more than one in ten residents in Sheffield have been the victim of mobile phone theft. In Edinburgh the figure is one in nine and in London one in eight.
The survey also revealed that one in ten victims of mobile theft ate mugged, while 25% are pick pocketed and a further 20% have their handsets stolen from their pub or restaurant table. Theft is also rife in the workplace with one in twenty people having their phones stolen whilst at work.
Mobiles are most commonly stolen on Monday mornings, Tuesday afternoons, Wednesday afternoons and Saturday nights.
A representative from CPP, Danny Harrison, said: It’s no wonder that thieves target phones, especially with the increasing amount of personal and sensitive information held on them to access social networking sites and mobile banking services.”
Figures released from the Home Office suggest that 228 mobile phones are stolen every hour in the UK, and the firm suggests that this is usually because people are careless with the safety of their phone and leave themselves open to theft. One in five users said that they had had their phones stolen more than once and the majority said that they believed this was due to their own carelessness.
CPP have sent out a message to mobile users to warn then that they should be careful with their mobiles and keep them stored safely to avoid unnecessary loss.
