Mobile Phones

Children of school age are more likely than adults to be victims of mobile phone theft.

Government research into mobile phone theft suggests that:

• It is mainly male against male - 90% of offenders are male and 80% of victims are also male
• The majority of robberies are committed by offenders working in groups
• The peak age for offenders is 16, with a third of all offenders being aged 15 or 16
• The peak time for theft of mobiles belonging to people under the age of 18 is between 2pm and 10pm
• For over 18s the peak time for theft is between 10pm and 6am
• Around a quarter of mobile thefts happen when the phone is either being used or can be seen by others

This research gives an idea of when you're most at risk of mobile phone theft.

A few tips for keeping your mobile phone safe:

• When out and about keep your phone out of view as much as possible - avoid putting it down on tables and be wary of those around you if you're talking on it
• Security mark it with your postcode and house number using a UV marker pen - contact the Community Safety Team to request a free property marking kit (Chiltern residents only, one per household)
• Make a note of the IMEI number of your phone and report it to the Police if your phone is lost or stolen (the IMEI number is a unique 15 digit serial number found behind the battery or by keying *#06# into most phones)
• Register your phone free at Immobilise - you only need to take a few minutes to register your contact details and the IMEI number of your phone and once on the database you have a better chance of getting back if it's lost or stolen as the Police and recovery agents (e.g. Transport for London) have access to the database.  Reporting the phone as lost or stolen to the Immobilise information line will also enable them to block both your SIM card and handset, making it completely useless.  You can also register any other items with a serial number, e.g. iPods, televisions, stereos, etc.