Phone snatching is falling but still common in the UK. Police in England and Wales recorded 121,161 thefts from the person in the year to March 2026, down 20% on the year before, and London’s Met reports phone theft and robbery down 18%. Most snatches happen on busy streets, at stations and on public transport, often in the afternoon or evening. Keep your phone away from the kerb, turn on your phone’s theft protection and know your IMEI.
Updated 27 September 2026 · Sources: ONS (year ending March 2026), Metropolitan Police (June and July 2026), House of Commons Library, Apple and Google support
If someone is threatening you, has a weapon or the thief is still nearby, call 999. Let the phone go: it is not worth getting hurt. Report a theft after it has happened online or on 101.
Phone theft in four numbers
Is phone snatching going up or down?
Down, after a sharp rise. The Crime Survey estimated snatch thefts jumped 153% in the year to March 2024. Since then police figures show a clear fall: theft from the person dropped 20% in England and Wales in the year to March 2026, and the Met says phone theft in Westminster roughly halved in early 2026 after targeted operations.
Westminster phones: phone theft, Jan–May 2026 · London theft: theft from the person, year to June 2026 · E&W theft: theft from the person, England and Wales, year to March 2026 · London phones: phone theft and robbery, June 2025–May 2026 · London robbery: personal robbery, year to June 2026. Sources: ONS, Metropolitan Police.
When and where do phone snatches happen?
ONS analysis of theft from the person found about two-fifths happen in the afternoon (noon to 6pm) and about a quarter in the evening (6pm to midnight). The street is the most common place, followed by shops and public transport. This analysis is from 2017, the most recent the ONS has published, so treat it as a guide rather than today’s exact pattern.
Most recorded phone theft is concentrated in central London. To see what is reported around a specific street or postcode, use the postcode crime checker on our sister site.
Six ways not to be the next victim
Who is most likely to have their phone stolen?
According to the ONS, younger adults aged 16 to 34 are more likely to be victims of theft from the person than people aged 35 and over, and women are more likely to be victims than men. Commuters, students, visitors and anyone using a phone on a busy street are the most exposed.
What should I do if my phone is snatched?
Don’t chase the thief. Call 999 if you were threatened or hurt or the crime is still happening; otherwise report it online or on 101 and get a crime reference number. From another device, use Find My (iPhone) or Find Hub (Android) to mark it lost and lock it, then ask your network to block the SIM and IMEI. Follow our step-by-step guide: what to do if your phone is stolen.
How much do iPhone and Android theft features help?
They make a stolen phone far less useful. Apple’s Stolen Device Protection requires Face ID or Touch ID for sensitive actions away from familiar places, and adds a one-hour delay before key security changes. Google’s Theft Detection Lock locks the screen if it senses the phone being snatched, and Remote Lock works at android.com/lock using your phone number.
Phone theft scorecard
Myths vs facts
- Myth: “It only happens at night.” Fact: The ONS found the afternoon is the most common time for theft from the person.
- Myth: “A stolen phone can always be unlocked and emptied.” Fact: With a strong passcode and theft protection turned on, thieves struggle to get into your apps and accounts.
- Myth: “It’s only a London problem.” Fact: London has most recorded phone theft, but snatches happen in city centres across the UK.
For wider context, see is crime going up or down in the UK? and our guide to staying safe on night buses and late trains.
Frequently asked questions
No. Snatch thieves can turn violent and some carry weapons. Your safety matters more than the phone. Note what you can (direction, clothing, bike or moped), get somewhere safe and call 999 if you were threatened or hurt.
Dial *#06# on your phone and the IMEI appears on screen. It is also printed on the box and shown in your phone’s settings. Save it before anything happens.
If force or the threat of force is used, it is usually recorded as robbery. A snatch without force, or a pickpocket, is usually recorded as theft from the person.
Often, yes, through Find My on iPhone or Find My Device on Android. Give the location to the police rather than trying to recover the phone yourself. Learn more in our guide to sharing your live location.
Sources
- ONS: Crime in England and Wales, year ending March 2026
- ONS: Overview of robbery and theft from the person (2017)
- House of Commons Library: Mobile phone thefts
- Metropolitan Police: phone theft halved in Westminster
- Metropolitan Police: neighbourhood crime falls in London (23 July 2026)
- Apple: About Stolen Device Protection
- Google: Protect your personal data against theft
ONS figures cover England and Wales. Met figures cover London and compare different periods. Crime statistics describe what was measured or recorded, not every crime that happened.
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Know the hotspots before you get there
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