Commuter has phone snatched as tube doors closed and loses £21k – urgent warning issued to change settings
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BRITS have received fresh warning over soaring phone thefts in the UK, as thieves target victims' online banking. Niall McNamee, 30, had his phone snatched on a London Underground tube - and days later had £21,000 drained from his bank account. The eyewatering sum even included a £7,000 loan that criminals had taken out in his name.
![[Apple's theft protection feature, which comprises of two separate tools, was rolled out a year ago in iOS 17.3]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/stolen-device-001.jpg?strip=all&w=760)
"It used to be people stole a phone so they could sell on a phone," McNamee told the BBC. "Now it seems they are stealing phones so they can get into all of your data and take money.". Reports of theft and robberies on trains and at stations have soared 58 per cent from 2018 to 2023, according to British Transport Police (BTP) data.
December is when the highest number of thefts and are reported, according to the force, as thieves use the longer nights to hide their identity. On the streets, over 200 phones are swiped from the hands of innocent passerbys every day, Home Office figures revealed earlier this year.
There are a number of smart settings changes consumers can make to protect their gadgets - and their hard-earned cash. But the uptick in thefts has pushed companies like Apple and Google to introduce specific Theft Protection features. Here's how you can set them up.
"Stolen Device Protection adds a layer of security when your iPhone is away from familiar locations, such as your home or workplace, and helps protect your accounts and personal information in case your iPhone is ever stolen," Apple says in a support page.
