Prevention

So the next thief gets less

71,872

Phone thefts and robberies in London in 2025

About one every 7 minutes

Phone thefts and phone robberies recorded by the Metropolitan Police, per year
2019: 41,751, 2020: 28,753, 2021: 34,127, 2022: 49,244, 2023: 67,082, 2024: 81,439, 2025: 71,8722019: 41,75141,75120192020: 28,75328,75320202021: 34,12720212022: 49,24420222023: 67,08220232024: 81,43981,43920242025: 71,87271,8722025

Updated · Source

The most important thing

They are after your bank accounts, not only your phone

44%of identity fraud victims had money taken from their bank account

GBG survey, 2022

Do this before it happens

0 of 14 done

  • Write down your IMEIDone

    Type *#06# in the phone app. The number appears

    Write it on paper. Keep it at home

  • Write down emergency phone numbersDone

    Your operator's lost-phone line, and the number to call it from abroad

    Your bank's lost-card line. It is on the back of your card

    Someone you trust. Without your phone you may not remember any number

    The email of your Apple or Google account. You need it to lock the phone

    Keep one copy at home and one in your bag or suitcase, away from your phone

    Make a recovery card
  • Set a SIM PINDone

    Then a thief cannot move your SIM to another phone to get your login codes

  • Do not keep your bank card on the back of your phoneDone

    A thief who takes the phone gets the card too

    Keep your cards in a pocket or wallet, away from the phone

  • Do not put all your banking on your phoneDone

    Keep at least one bank account and card off the phone

    If the phone is stolen, you can still pay and take out money

  • Keep a spare ID, cash and card somewhere safeDone

    Travelling? Leave them in your hotel room

    Then a theft does not leave you stuck with nothing

  • Turn on Find MyDone

    iPhone: Find My iPhone. Android: Find My Device

    Check that you know the password for that account

  • Turn on theft protectionDone

    iPhone: Stolen Device Protection. Android: Theft protection

    It asks for your face or fingerprint before big changes

  • Print your backup codesDone

    Make them in the security settings of your email account. Do this for email first

    Keep the paper at home, not in your wallet or phone case

  • Add a second way to sign inDone

    Add a recovery email address

    Add a second phone number that is not in this phone, such as a family member

    A security key or a passkey on a laptop also works

    iPhone: add a Recovery Contact, someone you trust

  • Do not keep your login codes only on the phoneDone

    Turn on backup in your code app

    Or set it up on a second device too

  • Test itDone

    Sign in to your email on a computer without your phone

    If it does not work, fix it now, not after a theft

  • Phone already stolen once?Done

    Once you are back in your accounts, make new backup codes

    The old ones may have been stolen with the phone

  • Back up your phoneDone

    Photos and contacts are what people miss most