Phone theft costs UK £390m
As mobile phones become smaller, lighter and more expensive, the cost of them being stolen has reached £390 million.
Over two million mobile phones are stolen each year in Britain, equivalent to one every 12 seconds, costing Britons hundreds of pounds.
"Mobile phones are constantly getting lighter and more compact which makes them easier for opportunistic thieves to swipe," said Vicky Emmott, of Halifax Home Insurance.
"Phone users should avoid 'walking and talking' and keep their mobiles out of sight whenever possible.
"New technology means that many of us use phones for more than just calls and text messaging.
"Mobile owners should make sure that all contact numbers, diary entries, pictures, down-loads and ring-tones are backed-up and saved elsewhere if they don't want to risk losing them completely."
Halifax reveals that more mobiles were stolen in Lancaster than anywhere else in the UK last year.
Close behind it was Wirral & Chester, followed by Coventry. By contrast, Ipswich, High Wycombe and Oxford were the placed where handsets were least likely to be taken.
But the place where the mobile theft costs the most is Essex, with the average claim for replacement handsets in Romford and Illford adding up to £300.
But specialist mobile phone insurance might not be the answer.
Halifax points out that many home insurance providers already cover mobile phones against theft, loss and damage as part of their personal belongings cover, making specialist policies a waste of money.
Halifax General Insurance has issued the following tips for mobile safety:
- Try and keep your phone out of sight, especially when not in use
- Never leave phones unattended at a bar or in a car
- Do not top up your phone in public
- Avoid using your mobile phone when you are walking in the street after dark
- Inform your mobile phone network operator as soon as you can if you have suffered a theft
- Report the theft to the police
- Back-up your mobile phone numbers, images, diary entries and down-loads
- If your phone is equipped with security block devises - use them
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