Met Police announces measures to counter mobile phone theft

tattygran14

Why do phones have to be so big? Mine won’t fit safely in my jeans pocket, and I hate ducky little handbags.

Mini smart phones (about 4"x 2") are available) from around £50. The battery life is shorter, the screen obviously smaller so it's harder to read and text.

Why do phones have to be so big? Mine won’t fit safely in my jeans pocket, and I hate ducky little handbags.

Drumming it into the kids/grandkids not to get their phones out does NOT often work, as i know.

I mention about not walking around in a city with his very expensive phone out all the time to my son but he's a student and doesnt/wont see the danger.Ive told him till i'm fed up of telling him.🤨🙄

Just thought. Stealing phones from people in the UK may well used as thenext scan excuse to get off being prosecuted and claim asylum

Sorry your Honour. But l was snuggled into the UK by people traffickers and forced to steal mobile phones to pay them back.

theworriedwell

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.

Beware..The phone might not be worth much..But the personal information that is still stored on it. May well be.

As I live in jeans my phone is relatively safe stuck in my jeans pocket. I have it set to vibrate if it rings or a text lands but will get out of the way to see who is calling or texting. Being old & ancient I probably look like I would not have a smart phone so that helps too!

I live most of the time in outdoor walking clothing (I often buy Rohan clearance lines.). Some of the jackets work as cardigans too and have roomy inside zip pockets for phones and purses. I also have a smart watch which I find very useful, and I can take phone calls on my hearing aids. I hardly need a handbag when I can keep everything securely zipped around my person. Bionic woman me!

Whilst not condoning theft surely prople have to take responsibility in trying to keep their phone safe. Do they leave home leaving windows and doors open, leave cars unlocked with keys in ignition? Who walks about with wallets, purses held up in front of them. Thieves will take advantage of every opportunity, you have to lessen the risk.

I found my way around London quite successfully using an A-Z! Similarly, I never got lost anywhere in the country when I had an OS map by my side! I am too imbecilic to work out how to use a smartphone - I have a 12 year old brick which I can never find. I shall be safe, then!!

Sorry wrong quote copied. I was replying to the person asking about devices to stop it happening.

Galaxy

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

There are quite a few devices or attachments that can do that job. If you search on line. Things with straps that you can attach to yourself or your belt or your handbag. Across body holders that have a cord which is reinforced that allows you to use the phone in your hand. However people do often think it wont happen to them, I've only got an old phone they wont want it, I'm only going to make a quick call no one will notice. Its also amazing how many people walk along with their phone in their hand following a map.

MT62 That is a really naive attitude of that lady. The fact is you can't trust people, so you have to be careful with your possessions and make sure they are not accessible.

Only yesterday when I was walking along someone was coming towards me, not looking and using his phone. I'm surprised people don't trip over raised paving stones or something and bash their head on the ground. He was scrolling and looked like he was typing with one hand! If I am expecting a message or something I have to stop. I cannot walk along and use a phone. I stop, look at the message then put the phone back in my bag. I do not walk along holding it.

grumppa

Well done the Met, but as I walk the streets of London, am I alone in being amazed at how easy mobile phone users make it for potential thieves, by the casual way they hold them? Are they unaware how vulnerable they are?

I'm also amazed by how many people take out their expensive mobiles at bus stops or on the street. I've actually seen people robbed, their phones being snatched.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.