To think we will have to leave our phones at home

I had a jacket nicked from a rave in London in the 90s but to be fair I had just left it on the floor no where near where I was dancing so fair do's. Other than that, even though I've lived and worked here the whole time I've never been robbed while out and about EVER.
Burglary though? Well that's a different story.

Give it a rest.

Can’t risk losing their phones 😂

I couldn’t live like this.

People have already mentioned the security straps.

Another thing to do is create a separate bank account with a small amount of money in it and only have that one app on your phone so the financial damage that can be done is minimal.

There are also services that will wipe your phone remotely if needed, and many social networks and email providers and such let you log out of other sessions you're logged into remotely if needed.

Back in my 20s (pre mobile phones) I had my purse/ handbag stolen a few times in London till I got wise to keeping my bag closed under my arm or otherwise secure. Never happened since though had an aborted attempt once.

If you are careful and aware of your surroundings, you can use a mobile phone in public in London - most other people are doing so as well, anyway, so the chance of yours being taken is minimal.

I know right. Susan Hall would have been SO much better 🙄

On the back of this thread I have just attached a lanyard to my phone. I'm travelling to a concert in London this evening. I feel perfectly safe, but for the sake of this 2 minute job I reduce the chance of it being stolen. It's a very, very small risk but the repercussions could be pretty major.

It could do with being a bit longer as I'll need to bend for contactless!

Not sure what the mayor's got to do with it. Pretty sure he isn't a grab and run phone theif, although I suppose it's the quiet ones you have to watch 🤔

When I was in Naples someone on a scooter tried to snatch my bag with my phone in it. They got a nasty shock as my bag was attached to my clothes with several large safety pins. I was quite amused when the would be robber fell off the scooter.

We didn't all manage fine with A-Z's! I got lost A LOT!

What I do is if I am going somewhere I don't know the route, I set my phone to navigate using text, and keep one earbud in (I have a hatred of not being able to hear my surroundings so rarely use more than one earbud at a time!)

Or may be people stop voting useless Sadiq Khan as London Mayor over and over.

Banks apps might be seem secure but there is a guy on bbc news today who had his phone lifted and and account drained of £21,000 including a £7k loan in his name. It was face ID and password protected. He reported it to the police but didn't cancel app payments etc until later. So, even with security who the hell did that happen?
I would never trust banking apps but then I don't trust anyone either.

You wise up OP - phone doesn't have to be out on show! Just be sensible. If you're not capable of being sensible then yes maybe leave your phone and yourself at home.

Mines on a cross body lanyard

it might not look stylish , but it does the job

no but maybe more people will pay more attention to security protocols? (such as disabling the ability to put the phone on Airplane mode easily)

Funnily enough that's the only place I've been pickpocketed too, though it was 20 years ago.

I went to a festival in the summer where apparently countless phones were stolen and ended up in Dubai according to the phone tracking systems.
I have a smart phone. But it’s an iPhone 7. Totally functional but completely worthless. I’ve left it on a table in a cafe of a busy city centre before now, it was still there when I went back about an hour later. No one is going to steal my phone.

Doesn't it just. I don't know how some people ever leave the house or live normal lives.

Oh I forgot. Some of them don't. (obviously not talking about illness and disability here).

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy8y70pvz92o

First thing I thought on reading this story was "what idiot leaves it possible to get into your internet banking without some sort of protection on your phone".

It's perfectly safe to still carry your phone as long as you are sensible and have all the relevant protection in place.

I also have my phone on a lanyard when travelling in London, or any densely populated place. If I am walking anywhere and need to look at a map, I either step to the side, or stick an airpod in (never both) and listed to the instructions being given. The phone is then put in an inside pocket to reduce the risk of being pickpocketed.

My phone, when locked, cannot be unlocked without either Face ID or a pin code. When locked, you cannot even access the control panel to put it on airplane mode, or turn it off, so I can track it on Find My, unless the battery dies or they put it in a Faraday cage.

All my banking apps require face ID and/or comprehensive second factor authentication.

Just as you'd never go to work and leave your front door wide open for people to go in and help themselves, make sure your phone is as locked down as is possible and the worst that could/should happen if it's stolen is that you have to buy a new one (or in my case resurrect an old one).

There was a company I worked at in central London that had to put out a corporate announcement as people returned to work after lockdown eased and people were having phones nicked in the street by people on e-scooters/mopeds, I’m sure their usage though was in clear view because the thieves wouldn’t bother otherwise.

I don't have banking apps on my phone as I have never needed to use them out and about anyway, they are on my iPad if I need them for verification at home

You don't need to leave them at home. Just put them away in your bag and don't walk along looking at them, getting in everyone's way and being completely unaware of your surroundings (and the thieves on their fat bikes).

PS yes a bag could be snatched but I have a rucksack which is more difficult, and a lot of bags now have an inner pocket which thieves can't get at.

Generally my phone is in my bag, which could also be snatched!

I've given my teens girls and boy this style of bag;

Drop Leg Bag Motorcycle Waist Pack

Clips round the waist and leg - so has meant both my DD wear fewer dresses and skirts - all zip pockets. It goes easily under coats - but it so close the body that they'd notice someone fiddling with zips near their crotches - harder to snatch as two points of contact. They seem to love them - same as handbag carries all their stuff.

Less good for phones if already out - I may look at lanyards for them - but the teens and us are generally situational aware and sensible and while that not 100% protection it is basic common sense.