Mobile phone theft is a significant issue in the UK. According to the Office for National Statistics, around 325,000 people had their phones stolen during the year ending March 2020. This forms part of a downward trend, to be sure – and inevitably, the figures will have collapsed during the period of the coronavirus pandemic.
Still, there’s reason to be vigilant – particularly for owners of especially desirable phones, which can be easily sold on the black market. Just think about how much value is stored in an object that can be carried in your pocket. Only jewellery can really compete when it comes to attracting thieves.
Other research indicates that certain phones stood out as the more desirable for the same period. Three Apple phones lead the way: the iPhone X, the iPhone XS, and the iPhone 7. These models have since been superseded by the 11 and 12 series, and the 13 is looming on the horizon.
The same research projects that around 1,222 handsets are stolen daily, at a cost of some £246 million over the course of a year. If you’d rather not be a part of this unfortunate statistic, some precautions are in order.
Combatting phone theft
So how do we deal with this problem in the case of the iPhone? There are a few preventative strategies to consider, like making sure that your phone is safely stowed away, and safeguarded from public view.
Find the Phone
If you have Find My iPhone turned on, then you can log into the iCloud and track it down using another device. You can then report your findings to the police, and, with any luck, retrieve the device.
You can also mark the phone as missing, which will lock it remotely and prevent thieves from accessing your data. You’ll also be able to display a custom message, which can be helpful if you think that the phone might have been lost.
Erase the Phone
Apple provides a means of remotely erasing the device. Doing so will prevent sensitive data from being viewed by thieves, and this will help to protect you from knock-on consequences like fraud.
Insurance
The easiest way to cope with the loss of a phone is to make sure that it’s insured. You won’t be able to retrieve the data you’ve stored on the handset, but you will be covered for the cost of a replacement. Apple also provide their own cover in the form of AppleCare+, but this tends to be priced a bit less competitively. Specialised iPhone insurance from third parties will do more or less the same thing, but at a much more attractive premium.