London Underground mobile phone and accessory theft soars by 400% in three years

The number of thefts on London underground trains rose to 11,363 in 2023 – an increase of 260% since 2021 (3,159) according to British Transport Police (BTP) data obtained via Freedom of Information request by MoneySuperMarket.

Mobile phones are the most stolen item on the London Underground by a landslide with 11,773 mobile phones and accessories thefts reported to the BTP over the last three years.

According to the data from BTP, there’s been a 400% increase in reports of mobile phone and phone accessory theft from 2021 to 2023.

Wallets and purses, luggage, laptops/tablets, and headphones/earphones make up the rest of the list of the top five most stolen items.

Other stolen reported stolen on London trains include watches, clothing, footwear, and even keys, according to the data. There were also 28 cases of mobility aid/ wheelchair theft over the three-year period and even reports of hearing aids, charity boxes, and glasses being stolen.

BTP data reveals that twice as many thefts on the Underground were committed in December compared to August last year.

London’s Victoria line has had the greatest number of theft reports, with 3,624 incidents reported to the BTP since 2021. The Victoria line visits high traffic stations such as King’s Cross St Pancras International, Oxford Circus, Green Park, Green Park, Tottenham Court Road, and Euston – all six of which ranked in the top ten for reported thefts on trains. While the Northern and the Jubilee lines came in second and third place with 3083 and 3087 reported thefts, respectively.

How to protect yourself from theft on trains

Most thieves will strike when their victims are distracted, so the best method to keep your phone and other belongings safe is to be aware of your surroundings and keep your valuable belongings hidden when you are not using them.

Mobile phones contain all kinds of valuable personal information that can be used by thieves to steal money or potentially your identity. So, before you become a victim, there are steps you can take such as using strong passwords and using two-factor authentication to prevent thieves from accessing anything valuable if they do get their hands on your phone.

• Do not store photos of official ID on your phone whether in photo albums or in messages. Thieves who can unlock your phone could then use pictures of your documents to steal your identity or even access bank accounts

• If the phone is locked, criminals remove your Sim card and put it in another device enabling them to receive messages, including two-factor authentication codes and password resets, send messages and make calls posing as the phone owner. To protect your SIM card or eSIM from others using it for phone calls or mobile data, you can use a SIM PIN. Then every time you restart your device or remove the SIM card, your SIM card or eSIM will be locked automatically and you’ll see “Locked SIM” in the status bar.

Can I make an insurance claim after a theft on a train?

If you are a victim of theft on a train, you may be able to make an insurance claim.

Some insurers offer personal possession cover with home contents policies, and this can cover certain belongings when you take them out of the home.

If you have a packaged bank account, you may have gadget insurance as a value-added benefit, so check your policy as you might already be protected – so long as you registered your device in advance.

If you are on holiday in the UK when the theft on a train occurs, your travel insurance policy might offer the protection you need.

Most policies with added gadget cover will cover your essential electronics, such as phones, laptops, and tablets, while a a standard policy will cover other valuables if they are stolen.

Gadget Insurance is designed to protect your gadgets no matter where you take them and is an affordable option if you do not have cover for electronics on your home or travel insurance policies.

Bear in mind that only devices purchased as new from a manufacturer, network provider or other high street or online store will be covered. Refurbished gadgets or those bought from outlet or similar stores are not eligible for inclusion on the policy.

Advice from our expert:

Kara Gammell, MoneySuperMarket Home Insurance expert, says:

"When it comes to making an insurance claim for a theft on a train or anywhere away from home, it’s crucial to do your sums in advance

Your standard home contents insurance policy excess applies and could exceed the value of your claim. In this case, you may want to consider standalone gadget cover, which can cost just a few pounds a month and will not push up future contents insurance premiums after you make a claim.

Before you purchase gadget insurance, always check the single article limit as this is the amount you can claim up to for an individual item. With the cost of an iPhone 15 Pro Max now £999, you could easily exceed the limit and find yourself uninsured.

If you have been the victim of theft, and you are looking to make an insurance claim, you will need to notify the police and get a crime reference number as soon as possible – ideally in 24 hours.

Then submit your claim to your insurer. If you have proof of purchase or receipts for any stolen items, be sure to include these with your claim as it can help speed up the process."

Notes:

British Transport Police data excludes cases of theft on the underground reported to other police authorities.

TFL passenger figures have also risen over the period so and proportional robbery uplift as 89.77% 2021 - 597,992,000 2022 - 961,300,300 2023 - 1,134,078,000