Don’t leave your phone unattended, out of your sight, or left on a table. Thieves can grab a phone from a table in seconds.

If you need to call or use your phone on the street be aware of your surroundings and only use your mobile when it feels safe to, make it quick so you don't become distracted. Don't text while you're walking, you won't notice what's going on around you. Going hands-free can prevent a thief from snatching your phone out of your hand.

When you’ve finished using it, put it securely away.

Criminals often use bikes, scooters and mopeds to snatch mobile phones from people, particularly at busy locations such as outside stations, shopping areas and city centres. Often victims are approached from behind while talking or texting on phones. Criminals on bikes, scooters and mopeds may mount the pavement to grab the phone or snatch it from the road. Sometimes when it’s a moped, a pillion passenger will snatch it.

You must switch on your phone's security features to protect your phone.

Use the keypad lock so that thieves cannot immediately access your phone, choose a strong PIN, passcode, password or pattern, or use the biometric authentication if your phone has it (finger print or facial recognition).

Your phone may have other security features you can use, these could allow you to wipe data, lock your handset, or prevent a thief from restoring a phone to its factory settings from another internet device.

Consider installing a tracking app on your phone so you can see where it is from another device like a laptop computer. These can be an effective way of helping police trace your phone and identify the thief.
 

Every phone has an IMEI number which helps police and insurance companies to identify it if it's stolen. UK network operators can also stop a stolen phone from working across their networks with its IMEI.

Find your IMEI number by dialling *#06# from your phone and keep a written note of it; if the phone is stolen, report the number to your mobile provider to stop it being used.

Register your valuables on an accredited property database.

Your phone data is regularly being backed up, either automatically over wifi or by plugging it into a computer.

There’s somewhere else you can get access codes sent to (two-factor authentication codes) to access your data from another device.

You keep important information like family and friends phone numbers and passwords somewhere else secure, not just on your phone.