Every year, hundreds of thousands of mobile phones are stolen in the UK. Young people have been especially vulnerable to mobile phone robbery.
Current crime statistics reveal that a mobile telephone is stolen in about half of all street crime and in approximately a third of cases it is the only property stolen.
However, there are steps you can take to prevent your phone being stolen, and new laws mean service providers can now block a stolen handset in the same way a stolen credit card can be cancelled. You can also register your phone so that if it is lost or stolen and recovered, it may be returned to you.
Always remember that a comprehensive mobile phone insurance policy is a good back up to your phone security routine.
If you you require mobile phone insurance cover abroad.
If you know who has taken your mobile phone, or have any information about anyone involved in criminal activity, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
If your phone is stolen, report your number to your network operator and the police as quickly as you can - the handset can then be barred on all networks and will be useless to criminals. Even if the SIM card is changed, the phone will no longer work on any UK network.
Write down these details about your mobile phone and keep them in a safe place, separate from the phone:
The serial number/IMEI number, which is 15 digits long, can be found on most phones by keying *#06# or by looking behind the battery.