📵 Don't Let Thieves Steal Your Summer - Register Your Phone Today!

Dear Resident,

Thank you for taking the time to let us know about your concerns around mobile phone theft in Hampstead Town & Highgate. Your Safer Neighbourhood Team have compiled some crime prevention tips to help protect yourself from mobile phone theft.

📱 Before you leave home…

Register your phone on Immobilise.com

This free UK service lets you list your phone's make, model, IMEI (found by typing *#06# into your keypad), photos and purchase details. Police and insurers use it to identify and return stolen phones.

Visit immobolise.com to register your mobile phone today.

Enable ‘Find My’ or equivalent
Set up Apple’s Find My iPhone, Google’s Find My Device, or Samsung’s SmartThings Theft Protection before anything happens.

Use biometric locks & unique passcodes

Secure your lock screen with fingerprint/face recognition. Make sure banking apps have strong additional PINs or biometrics too.

🏡 While you're out in Hampstead Town

Keep your phone out of sight

Only take it out when absolutely necessary (e.g., directions) and use it with your back to a wall; then put it away swiftly.

Carry your phone securely

Use zipped or front pockets. If you prefer lanyards or wrist straps, route them under clothing to avoid standing out as a tourist.

Be extra alert around cyclists and e‑bikes

Thieves using mopeds, bicycles or e-bikes often grab phones quickly and ride off. Be mindful of using your phone at pedestrian crossings or need to the curb side.

Disable notification previews

That way, even if someone glances at your locked screen they won’t see sensitive info like verification codes.

🔓 If theft happens…

1. Lock or track remotely

Immediately use your tracking service to freeze or locate your phone.

2. Report to the police by calling 101

Let us know your IMEI number, make, model and any helpful description. You can also report online at met.police.uk

3. Contact your mobile phone provider

Your mobile phone provider can block your SIM card, and issue you with a replacement card.

4. Inform your bank and insurance

You can contact your bank by calling the telephone number on the back of your debit or credit card. They'll freeze cards, issue a replacement and monitor accounts. If you have insurance cover for your phone, it's a good idea to report the theft to them as soon as possible.

🔐 Additional security measures

Regular backups

In case you need to wipe the device, your photos and data stay safe. Your data can be easily restored to your replacement device.

Remote wipe capability

Configure the ability to erase you phone remotely from another device. See the links above on the phone manufacturers website for further details of how to do this.

Insurance provided by your bank

Many UK retail banks provide insurance with a paid Current Account. It's worth checking to see if your bank provides this as part of their services, and if they do, that your current mobile phone is registered against the policy.

By taking these preventative steps and staying alert while out and about on the busy streets of London, you can significantly reduce both the risk of theft and the stress of all the admin afterwards. 

👮‍♂️ What are the Met doing?

To tackle the rising issue of phone thefts in London, officers have been listening to community concerns and using data and technology to target hotspots where offending is more likely to take place.

As part of the A New Met for London plan, the Met are focusing on improving community policing, with officers patrolling busy areas and town centres to help deter offenders and ensure they are present to act on anything suspicious. Local residents have fed back the increased presence has provided a sense of safety to residents and visitors.

The Met is employing CCTV in busy areas to monitor and identify people involved in mobile phone thefts, allowing them to capture real time footage for analysis and evidence gathering.

If you witness or are a victim of a crime, it is crucial to report it promptly by calling 999 in the case of an emergency. For non-emergency situations, you can call 101 or report online.