Dyfed Powys Police are supporting the new online advice service to help people protect their mobile phone handsets that has been launched across the UK.
Advice has been published on Police.uk (www.police.uk/crime-prevention-advice/protecting-your-mobile-phone/ ) with the support of major phone manufacturers Apple, Blackberry, LG, Samsung, Sony, Nokia and Windows Phones.
The service encourages the public to make more use of their phone’s security features, including innovations such as tracking, wiping data from or locking stolen handsets remotely using another internet-enabled device. The service also provides links to information on each manufacturer’s security features, including how to switch them on.
There are also tips on avoiding mobile phone theft in the first place, such as taking extra care to keep handsets secure in busy locations and never leaving a mobile phone unattended.
Chief Superintendent Andy John, who leads on operational policing for the Force said, “We know that the figures show that this crime is down compared to previous years, and that the actual number of incidents are relatively low, however, we often store a lot of valuable information in our smartphones that we rely on in our day to day life. The impact of them being stolen can be high.
“I encourage people to take sensible precautions to deter opportunist thieves and to take some simple steps to protect the information that is stored on the handset”
Some simple tips to keep your mobile phone secure are:
- Register your phone with your network operator. Record your registration number (IMEI) and your phone number. Keep these in a safe place separate from your phone. You can get your IMEI number (15-digit serial number) by keying *#06# into most phones or by looking behind your phone battery.
- If your phone is stolen, report your number to your network and the police – the handset can now be barred on all networks and will be useless to thieves.
- Report the number of your stolen phone to your network operator and the police as quickly as you can. It can now be cancelled immediately like a stolen credit card.
- Stay alert – your phone is a valuable item. When you are out be aware of your surroundings and don’t use your phone in crowded areas or where you might feel unsafe.
For further information on crime prevention visit http://dyfed-powys.police.uk/en/advice-and-support