Glasgow Tops UK Phone Theft Charts

A new study in the UK has reported that almost a third (31%) of Glaswegians have been a victim of mobile phone theft - with 17 percent of cases involving phones being snatched from bags. The study showed thieves are most likely to be strike in the evenings - one in five Glasgow folk admitted falling victim to phone theft while out in one of the city's night spots. And April and August had the highest rates of phone theft in the city.

The poll of 3,500 people by the insurance firm, CPP revealed that Belfast is the second worst place to live when it comes to mobile phone crime. Twenty-nine per cent of Belfast residents polled had experienced mobile phone theft - with one in 10 cases involving thieves grabbing the phones or handbags from the victims in the streets. But the Irish are more vigilant than Glaswegians, being twice more likely to report the theft straight away.

John Walkley, Head of Mobile Phone Security at CPP Phonesafe said: "It's alarming how common mobile theft is becoming. A recent study from the Metropolitan Police revealed as many as 10,000 mobile phones are stolen every month.

"Most people rarely leave home without their mobile phone, so it's vital to always be on guard for opportunists - especially if you are talking on the phone whilst walking in the street, or have it on show in a pub or club.

"The study also showed almost two thirds of people in the UK fail to insure their mobile phone despite the fact that the average handset would cost more than

Posted to the site on 5th April 2007