Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

DS mugged, contract phone involved - wwyd

33 replies

marriedinwhite · 29/04/2012 09:00

Last night DS, 17, who up until now has believed there is no danger in London, although does tend to stick with a friend and is generally sensible and always keeps in touch, was mugged. He was with two friends and the attack took place in a dodgy area but they thought they would be fine. They handed over their phones and money but still got a punching. I knew something was wrong because he wasn't replying to my texts so stayed up until he came in, five minutes later than the agreed time.

He has learnt a hard lesson and was very upset. There were three attackers and they said they had knives though none were seen. He didn't want the police called and not sure what they could have done an hour or so after it happened when he couldn't provide a description anyway.

They have stolen a battered blackberry which is on contract with 7 months to run. I don't know if the supplier might let us change early or not - will pop down later having cancelled phone last night - to order a new sim.

Have decided overnight to get him a 2nd hand phone which I can get from Amazon for about £60. Have any of you done this and what would you do.

OP posts:
herwegoagain · 29/04/2012 09:03

Def report to police. Do you have insurance on the phone? Is it covered by your home insurance?
Is he ok?

Original poster
marriedinwhite · 29/04/2012 09:05

No - not insured. £6pcm x three phones adds up to more than £300 over two year contracts and not to insure was a careful cba decision. Home insurance no good because our excess is £400.

He's fine, shaken and bruised but fine.

OP posts:
herwegoagain · 29/04/2012 09:08

Just go into the phone shop and get him a cheap pay as you go phone and put his sim I. It for now. Make sure that if you are paying a data allowance you get a phone that he can surf on.

YellowDinosaur · 29/04/2012 09:09

Yes it may well be covered by home insurance - I know our phones are. So you will need to report to the police in order to claim.

And there may be cctv of the area where the attack took place so even if your ds can't give a description (and he must be able to give some sort of a description even if just accent and what they were wearing) they may be able to get them on that.

But with regards to new phone, I'd but the cheapest possible one to replace it. Not an all singing all dancing one. it wasn't your ds fault and he seems to have learnt his lesson, but I couldn't afford to replace like with like for me in this situation so wouldn't for him either. I'd give him the option of topping up with savings though if he wanted a better phone.

Hope you're both ok. Must have been a terrifying experience for both if you x

BellaVita · 29/04/2012 09:10

You do need to report it to the police.

Your poor DS. Hope he is ok.

PurplePidjin · 29/04/2012 09:11

You'll probably get a better reaction from the phone company with a crime reference number, so report it even though nothing is likely to come of it

Toughasoldboots · 29/04/2012 09:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 29/04/2012 09:12

Make sure you get the phone blocked before they run up huge charges on your contract.

EXmrsmascarahead · 29/04/2012 09:16

Contact the police.
DH was viciously attacked this year, they beat him unconscious, he couldn't give a decent description, luckily there was patchy CCTV footage, 3 'men' have been arrested and charged and now the case is in front of the CPS.
We thought they would never be caught.

spg1983 · 29/04/2012 09:33

May be worth checking with the contract provider as mine (Vodafone) allows you to upgrade and get a new phone 3 months before your contract runs out.

Original poster
marriedinwhite · 29/04/2012 09:36

Anyone bought a 2nd hand phone from Amazon? Anyone know if they are just the unlocked ones that have been stolen. If that's the case I don't want to because it encourages further crime.

We've got a couple of old paygo mobiles - could we put the sim in one of those without having to pay as you go. Phones were bought from same supplier as the blackberry but would we be able to use the contract allowance on a non blackberry?

OP posts:
MooBaaWoofCheep · 29/04/2012 09:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
marriedinwhite · 29/04/2012 09:42

I had the phone blocked last night. We will go to the shop today to order the replacement sim and will ask then about upgrading. We went in there about a month ago, and checked when the contract could be renewed and they said 8th November. Obviously I will if there's anything we can do with the supplier first.

OP posts:
agedknees · 29/04/2012 09:43

You need to contact the police anyway. The number of crimes = the number of beat bobbies. If crimes are not reported how can the police effectively do their jobs on reduced numbers?

Sorry to hear about your ds.

QOD · 29/04/2012 09:47

You should be able to put the sim in p&g phone, as long as was with same co. try it, I'd go for that and wait for the upgrade.
How scary though, hope he's ok, he might be more shocked and upset today or when he's next out. We think we are invincible til this happens. Poor lad

bruffin · 29/04/2012 09:49

Please report it, my Ds got hugged when he was 14, it took a year but the police caught all three and prosecuted 2 of them

inabeautifulplace · 29/04/2012 10:26

That's horrible, hope he's feeling a bit better this morning. I would try and help him learn that while there are things you can change (like avoiding dodgy areas at night) the mugging wasn't his fault at all. Some victims do blame themselves.

I would give him lots of opportunities to talk his feelings through. He needs to be confident that this is an unusual event so it doesn't leave him fearful of certain situations.

Personally, I would be tempted to get him a nicer phone than he had previously if you could afford it, so something good arises from the situation. I don't know how Amazon vet their sellers, but I guess there's a possibility that anything used could be stolen.

Definitely report it to the police, it's important that they know where crime occurs so the crime prevention methods can be targeted properly.

stoatie · 29/04/2012 10:59

My son had his new contract phone stolen at school recently. We contacted T mobile who immediately blocked handset and sent new SIM. My son bought himself a reasonable PAYG handset (he had some birthday money left) as he agreed that he had some responsibility for theft (ie leaving phone lying around ) Hope your son is ok

McHappyPants2012 · 29/04/2012 10:59

i would go to the police

gafhyb · 29/04/2012 11:01

Of course phone the police. A crime has occurred. If it's in a dodgy are they will probably be CCTV

gafhyb · 29/04/2012 11:01

area

there

bruffin · 29/04/2012 11:04

It was cctv that caught Ds,s muggers. The had film of them on the train, walking down the road together etc.

Rhinosaurus · 29/04/2012 11:41

The crime should be reported.

I hope your son is ok, as well as feeling violated, a mugging can have huge effect on his self esteem and confidence which may be yet to come out.

Some phone shops will pay you cashback to close a contract (ie the seven months x your monthly charge) if you get a new phone from them. I know for a fact 3 did this for one of our kids who had dropped and broken their orange phone with 9 months left on contract. So it didn't cost us anything, and it was a better and cheaper contract.

foreverondiet · 29/04/2012 14:34

Def report the crime. I wouldn't buy phone 2nd hand from amazon / ebay as would be worried it was stolen. If no suitable spares to hand then buy P&G phone.

StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes · 29/04/2012 15:09

sorry but 'my son got hugged' made me Smile