iPhone owners most at risk of phone theft

Report by UK government claims half of all phones stolen in London are iPhones

Apple iPhone owners are the most likely to have their handsets pinched in England and Wales, according to a report released by Whitehall on Sunday.

Between 1 August 2012 and 5 January 2014, 50 per cent of all phones stolen in London were Apple iPhones, according to the Mobile Phone Theft Ratio compiled by the Home Office.

The report comes after Theresa May said earlier this week that while crime had fallen under the coalition, mobile phone theft remained a "concern".

She said: "People are increasingly carrying their lives in their pockets, with bank details, emails and other sensitive personal information easily accessible through mobile phones. This is why it is vital that government, police and industry work together to tackle this crime."

According to the report, the iPhone 5, 5C, 5S and 4S were the most targeted, followed by the Blackberry 9790.

In London, almost 100,000 mobile phones were reported stolen during 2013.

The report indicated that mobile phone thefts are most likely to occur directly from the person, for instance through pickpocketing, or when the handset is left unattended.

The most commonly targeted group of people are 14 to 25-year-olds, and women are particularly vulnerable to theft.