Life before smartphones, who can remember that? Smartphones are now amongst some of the most common possessions in the modern world. Most people walking down the street do so with a smartphone in hand, wireless earpods on display or a laptop underarm. As technology has gotten smaller, more portable and user friendly, the risk of theft has risen as these items have an increasingly higher value.
In the UK, over 183 smartphones are stolen every day, meaning a staggering 66,795 are stolen each year. It is worth noting this figure is probably on the lower end of the scale, as it only covers reported thefts. The total value of smartphones stolen is roughly £27 million. Most thefts occur in capital cities, primarily London. Recent studies show the UK was ranked sixth on the list of countries with the highest theft levels. Since 2013, there has been a 33% increase in theft crime rates. What is most sinister, is that studies show young women are most likely to be the target of theft. 14-24 year old women were shown to be most at risk, during the hours of 6pm to 6am. Areas with high pedestrian footfall are great places for opportunistic thieves, as they can quickly steal possessions and weave away anonymously through crowds.
Whilst smartphones themselves are valuable, with some being worth over £1000, the information they hold is also of value. Smartphones are now the key to our inner lives, holding all of our passwords, bank details, emails and memories. This pool of data is extremely valuable and could be used to completely infiltrate our lives, if stolen. The sensitive information our phones hold, and their material worth, means we should be doing our best to avoid theft. One way to protect our gadgets is by attaching a GPS tracker to our devices. Expert providers like Online Spy Shop, have created phone case trackers, which allow for discrete, effective tracking.
Whilst most mobile phones have a tracking ability, these features are often quite unreliable and don’t provide real time tracking. A GPS tracker, on the other hand, allows you to see in real time the movements and location of your device, information which can be critical for police when retrieving your stolen property. More so, GPS trackers allow you to set a geofence around a specific area. A geofence is an area drawn on a digital map, if your mobile phone moves in or out of this area, you will immediately be notified. This can give peace of mind when travelling or being away from your mobile phone, knowing it is exactly where you left it. Overall, as mobile phones are becoming such an essential part of our modern life, we must take some extra steps to ensure their safety. This not only protects our data and personal information, but also protects the large sum of money they cost to purchase.