Met Police announces measures to counter mobile phone theft

It's probably a case of it can't happen to them. I am surprised nobody has been on Dragon's Den with an anti-theft device for a mobile phone. Something like a small pouch that could be worn securely across the body with sturdy straps.
grumppa has a point though. One girl on BBC London News has had her phone taken by moped thieves 5 times! At some point you have to start taking responsibility.

To be honest i would rather they took my phone easily than injured me trying to pull it from my body.

Sarnia

It's probably a case of it can't happen to them. I am surprised nobody has been on Dragon's Den with an anti-theft device for a mobile phone. Something like a small pouch that could be worn securely across the body with sturdy straps.
grumppa has a point though. One girl on BBC London News has had her phone taken by moped thieves 5 times! At some point you have to start taking responsibility.

How could you scroll on the phone when it’s in a pouch. That’s what millions are addicted to.
It’s a wonder some don’t have corns on there fingers and thumbs 😂

I am also surprised at the amount of people, of all ages, who stand around casually using their phones.
If I have to use my phone in public I stand in a shop doorway with my back to a window or wall so I can see anyone approaching me.
We’ve all drummed it in to our GCs not to get their phones out in the street.

I don't think a pouch would work for the majority in London as they use their phone walking along all the time, like an addiction. It's kind of cool to have your phone on view in your hand, too.
I agree with Galaxy, it's safer to let them grab from your hand than something round your neck
.

Possibly those who aren't familiar with London are looking at Google maps, otherwise best to scroll when sitting down inside somewhere. I'd hate to have my phone stolen it has so much personal stuff, banking etc.

I was at a concert in Glasgow in November and around 50 people there had their phones stolen. The same thing had happened at another event a couple of weeks beforehand. Admittedly the thefts took place in the standing section and pit, whereas I was up in the seated area, but apparently it's organised foreign gangs who are behind it.
I have a small cross-body bag which basically is only big enough for my phone and I wear it over my t-shirt with a hoodie over the top, so no-one can even see it, far less grab it off me. But I do often wonder how many people make it easy for the phone thieves by walking along scrolling on theirs in public.

So, even if you have a nice roomy handbag, or a designer clutch, you have to keep your phone on view in the other hand! 😆

Sarnia

It's probably a case of it can't happen to them. I am surprised nobody has been on Dragon's Den with an anti-theft device for a mobile phone. Something like a small pouch that could be worn securely across the body with sturdy straps.
grumppa has a point though. One girl on BBC London News has had her phone taken by moped thieves 5 times! At some point you have to start taking responsibility.

There are plenty of anti theft wrist straps, lanyards etc available to buy. Although they may be a deterrent they possibly just mean a determined thief will cause injury or threat to get the phone.

The Met want phone companies to make all mobile phones inoperable if stolen, there's no point in the theft then. Also make it easier to travel the owners of stolen phones so they can be returned.

Travel - identify

Galaxy

To be honest i would rather they took my phone easily than injured me trying to pull it from my body.

Chances are they wouldn’t grab it from your body. The most vulnerable target is someone talking or scrolling on their phone.
This is because the scum ideally want a phone that’s open. Then they not only have your phone they have access to all the goodies. Bank, Amazon, EBay. Kerching 😥

MartavTaurus

So, even if you have a nice roomy handbag, or a designer clutch, you have to keep your phone on view in the other hand! 😆

You might not hear the notification ping informing you of something riveting on TikTok. Sarcastic emoji needed.

My mobile phone came with a smart watch. I thought the watch a gimmik at first. However, I would not be without it now.

I can receive and make calls and messages, find my phone, use the fitness app and make an emergency call, make payments (among other things). All this while I have no phone in sight. (Phone is zipped up in a pocket or bag.) I don't need to carry my phone round the house either.

I think the watch adds to my safety.

I don’t understand people who walk around with the their phones in their hand 🤦‍♀️ asking for it to be snatched.
I know we should be able to. Whilst in the bank I told a an older lady to tuck her phone & purse in the bottom of her bag as it was just sitting on the top her unzipped bag.
She said, ‘oh you have to trust people’
We to have a lot of drug addicts in our town.
Her purse & phone were just ‘ripe for the taking.

Mine was cheap and now it's old. I doubt anyone would want it, I don't and thinking of getting something more reliable but maybe it would be tempting to a thief. Big decision.

Missedout

My mobile phone came with a smart watch. I thought the watch a gimmik at first. However, I would not be without it now.

I can receive and make calls and messages, find my phone, use the fitness app and make an emergency call, make payments (among other things). All this while I have no phone in sight. (Phone is zipped up in a pocket or bag.) I don't need to carry my phone round the house either.

I think the watch adds to my safety.

That sounds interesting. Is it fiddly to use? I've got arthritis in my right hand so I might struggle, good idea though.

I don't know how people even manage to scroll on their phones while walking along. The state of the pavements around here means I have my eyes firmly fixed on the ground at all times in order to avoid tripping. Then there's the glare from outside light.

I always keep mine in an inside pocket - bit tricky in the summer when it's too warm to wear a jacket - and only use it if I absolutely have to, and in a place where it is unlikely to be snatched. BTW I don't live in a big city, just a relatively civilized large town, but nowhere feels entirely safe these days.

When we were burgled a few years ago, they stole DD2’s car, some of my jewellery, but the scumbags left our mobile phones - no call for Nokia 3310’s even all those years ago!

It really is easy pickings for thieves these days, isn’t it especially those on bikes or scooters.
People are so addicted to their phones that they are constantly looking at them even when walking down the street.

I try to be generous and think that some of those obsessed souls are perhaps in a strange city and following directions on their phones but that can’t account for all of them.

Considering just how hugely inconvenient it is to lose our phones I am surprised how casually some people treat them.

I was in a cafe a while back and a woman at a nearby table was deep in conversation with her friend sitting next to her. Her phone was on the table but she couldn’t see it as she had turned towards her friend. It would have been the easiest thing in the world for someone to have walked past the table, picked up the phone and be out of the cafe before she had even realised it was missing.

theworriedwell

Setting up my watch can be fiddly. If you can ‘tap’ accurately, you can achieve a lot. It also uses gestures by the hand/arm wearing the watch - pinch first finger and thumb together, turn your wrist, open and close your fist. Just raising your wrist to look at the watch turns the face on. It also takes voice commands. Once the watch is set up, I think there is a lot that you could manage and the watch can be set up to be worn on either wrist as well. My watch is an expensive one, I wouldn’t have considered buying it separately in the first place - but I would replace it now if I had to.

I should have added that I set up my watch to vibrate on my wrist for silent notifications.

I live in a busy city so this phone snatching often happens.
I’ve seen it twice.
I do have some fun when someone is walking towards me feeding their addiction.
I don’t move out of their way I just carry on walking straight towards them.

petra

Galaxy

To be honest i would rather they took my phone easily than injured me trying to pull it from my body.

Chances are they wouldn’t grab it from your body. The most vulnerable target is someone talking or scrolling on their phone.
This is because the scum ideally want a phone that’s open. Then they not only have your phone they have access to all the goodies. Bank, Amazon, EBay. Kerching 😥

Make sure you have set the theft detection lock so your phone will automatically lock if it thinks it's been snatched
You also need to keep a note of your phone's IMEI number so you stand a chance of having it returned.

Missedout

theworriedwell

Setting up my watch can be fiddly. If you can ‘tap’ accurately, you can achieve a lot. It also uses gestures by the hand/arm wearing the watch - pinch first finger and thumb together, turn your wrist, open and close your fist. Just raising your wrist to look at the watch turns the face on. It also takes voice commands. Once the watch is set up, I think there is a lot that you could manage and the watch can be set up to be worn on either wrist as well. My watch is an expensive one, I wouldn’t have considered buying it separately in the first place - but I would replace it now if I had to.

Thank you that sounds really good, I might be too tight to buy it. I don't spend much on myself which is probably something I should work on. Gadgets will probably be a good investment going forward. Today I met a guy who is going to regularly cut the grass for me and that is a great relief and worth the money.