Are You a Pickpocket Target?
Some people have been pickpocketed multiple times, while others have never experienced it. Learn what may make you or your friend their target, and when and where to be careful.
(Combined data from met police foi on phone theft, 2024)
(City Streets 2025 Summary Report . (2025). [online] City of London Corporation)
We collected data the Met police released on phone theft and we find that most cases happen during afternoon matching with lunch and especially dinner. Even though there are very few people out and about at night, the cases are essentially as high as during the lunch hours. In essence, the commonly held belief that you should be careful at night and that criminals aren’t really morning people is spot on.
The pickpocketing hotspots
https://www.met.police.uk/foi-ai/metropolitan-police/disclosure-2025/june-2025/mobile-phone-thefts-westminster-2024
You may already know that London is the pickpoketting center of the UK, with 1/3 of UK incidents happening in the capital. The pickpockets primary work in the busy streets which include Oxford street and Regent street. With half of pickpocketing incidents happening in public spaces, it might be worth asking yourself how often you visit them, and how aware of your surrounding you are when you do.
What people don't often realise is that the other half of times, pickpocketing happens in restaurants and pubs. Many of the people we interviewed had a thief sneak past them and grab whatever was on or under the table. We hear all too often about the sceptical of snatching when in reality stealth theft accounts for 80% of successful theft from a person are through stealth. Even if they have cameras, you aren’t legally allowed to look at them and police will only have a look if the goods stolen exceed around 1000 pounds.
(Office Of National Statistics (2017) ‘Overview of robbery and theft from the person’.)
Know who they target
If you are young and constantly going to high traffic areas at night you will naturally be more at risk, and the statistics do show that young people are twice as likely to be victims.
If you are elderly or have a disability you are 1.6 to 1.8 times more likely to be a victim. Thieves will happily target those they think will put up less of a fight should they fail to be sneaky.
Mixed ethnicity and especially people with Chinese ethnicity are also more at risk. We aren’t sure of the reason for this. It could be that tourists or those who could be assumed to be are targeted as they are assumed to be less aware of the risks.
(Data from met police foi on phone theft, 2024)
Be a part of the change
If you are worried about your phone or other belongings being stolen, consider getting a Tether Sticker to secure them. It’s an all in one solution with a powerful automatic anti-theft alarm integrated with Bluetooth tracking.
