What to do if your phone is stolen

An average of 180 phones is stolen every day in London, the 'phone-snatching capital of Europe'

Illustration of a woman shocked as her phone is snatched away
(Image credit: Illustration by Stephen Kelly / Shutterstock / Getty Images)

Around 78,000 people reported having their phones or bags snatched across England and Wales in the year to March 2024, according to government statistics. That's a 153% increase from the previous year.

In London, dubbed the 'phone-snatching capital of Europe', the experience will be "depressingly familiar" to many in the city, said The Times. According to a recent investigation by The Independent, an average of 180 phones is stolen in the capital every day. So why are phone thefts so common and what can you do if your phone is stolen?

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