10 Ways to Theft Proof Your Phone This Christmas

By Holly
December 5, 2018

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Losing, smashing or having your phone stolen can seriously dampen your Christmas spirit!

The party season is soon to be in full swing, if it isn’t already for some ; )

It is the time of year where we break the rules, stay out late and do things we shouldn’t at the Christmas party. However, it is also the perfect time of year for mobile phone thieves to pounce. Everyone is high on the Christmas spirit and often the thieves don’t need to do much more than wait for you to leave your ‘precious’ on the bar to make room for a tray of shots.

Unfortunately there has been several cases this year where police have deemed mobile phone theft to ‘not be serious enough’ to investigate so it is more vital than ever that you prevent it happening in the first place. Let’s be honest, even if phone theft is covered by your insurance policy and all your photos and contacts are backed up, theft is still a massive violation and a hefty inconvenience. Your new phone will never really replace the one you lost and will take an age to get back to the app-optimal place you need it to be. Plus…you are going to have to wait at least 24 hours to be contactable again which is unthinkable these days (or blissful for some).

Phanyard (a UK-based retractable lanyard for mobile phones) wrote an interesting article earlier this year on phone theft among students following a report from Protect Your Bubble. The research found that dropping the device, water damage and stepping on it were the top three reasons for insurance claims coming from students with over 9% sustaining damage that costs over £1,000 to repair. The Home Office adds that ‘phone theft methods such as pick-pocketing and snatch theft, followed by theft of unattended items such as leaving a mobile phone on a bar or restaurant table, are the most common methods used by criminals’.

So how can we prevent stuff like that happening to us? Here are our 10 tips for keeping your spirits high and your phone close by:

Take out the ‘bat-phone’ instead

We all have an old smartphone lying around. The one that is too rubbish to cash in but can still make a call and take an average photo. Leave the Porsche at home when you are planning to drink drive. Take the old banger with a few key apps and a) you won’t spend all evening checking social media, b) it won’t be too painful when you drop it down the loo and c) no-one will actually want to nick that piece of chuff.

Get onto immobilise.com

Genius site where you can register all your cool stuff so if your phone is lost or stolen, the stored information is available for the police to investigate the crime (should they deem it worthwhile – see above).

Have your network on speed dial

Should your phone get nicked, block it immediately via the network so the sucker can’t use it. There has actually been a reduction in phone theft since the introduction of device based solution blocks such as Apple iOS7 and Samsung Reactivation Lock as they act as a huge deterrent.

Carry your stuff on your back not on your shoulder

You are less likely to lose stuff that is attached to you, fact. There are a tonne of very trendy little backpacks out there that mean you may actually keep your bag on you rather than in the middle of the dancing circle with the other terrified handbags.

Give your phone to a mate when you go to the loo

Do not just leave it on the table to fend for itself and definitely don’t take it with you. Phones cannot wait to jump in the loo and do you really want to leave your night early to go and immerse it in a bowl of rice?

Don’t get so drunk that you leave your phone on the bar.

Jokes! Clearly you need your phone and cards to actually pay for the drinks so our suggestion would be to attach it to you somehow so you literally cannot leave it on the bar. Phanyard have launched a retractable phone lanyard this year which means you can keep your phone tucked under your top and out of sight until you need it. Simple and effective.

Be aware of thieves in your midst

Opportunists are on the prowl so don’t get out a piece of kit worth hundreds of pounds in a crowd where it could be snatched. Simples.

Have a back up plan for getting home

If you insist on having all your cards and cash tucked in the phone case with your phone, make sure you have an emergency card or cash somewhere else or with someone else just in case the inevitable happens.

Take a selfie every hour rather than every minute

The more you get your phone out, the more likely it is to be damaged, stolen or dropped. It is your most precious possession, keep it under wraps unless you bump into Tom Hardy or your mate falls into a river (you should probably call an ambulance if the latter happens…after you have captured his epic fail of course).

Apple phones are the most appealing…

…And 18 – 21 year old females are the most vulnerable to mobile phone theft. This could be directly correlated to the amount of times they get out their phones or the fact that they carry handbags or wear dresses without pockets. Again, think about attaching the phone to you so you know exactly where it is at all times. Again, think about attaching the phone to you so you have everything you need is one place. Phanyard has just launched a range of glitter cases for the party season which means you can shine like a diamond, take as many selfies as you want and still go home with your phone. A Christmas miracle right there.