Dubs urged to protect phones

DUBLINERS are being warned to take precautions to protect their mobile phones following a surge of thefts in the city.

Almost 8,000 were reported stolen in the first six months of 2012 but only 15 per cent of victims had taken measures to block their phones and prevent them being used by the thieves.

Last week gardai published an information leaflet containing practical measures that can be taken to prevent and reduce the worrying trend. The leaflet is backed by the Dublin City Joint Policing Committee – a body made up of local councillors, TDs, Senators, gardaí, council officials and representatives from the community and business sectors.

Chairman of the committee, Cllr Gerry Breen (FG), welcomed publication of the leaflet.

“Stories of stolen smartphones abound and the ordeal for victims is considerable,

? he said.

“The theft often happens in broad daylight when people are walking along the street using their phone. In discussions with gardai to get greater awareness on this high impact crime, I have asked them to target those criminal elements that may be making a lucrative trade from stolen smartphones.

?

Garda Chief Superintendent Michael O’Sullivan, urged Dubliners to take heed of the advice in the leaflet, including making a note of the 15 digit mobile phone International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number that uniquely identifies all mobile phones.

“Analysis of crime trends in 2012 indicates that a mere 15 per cent of mobile phone owners had their IMEI number available when reporting a theft incident,

? he said.

“Operation Aughrim was initiated in the Dublin Metropolitan Region in an effort to prevent and detect the commission of mobile phone related offences and in an effort to restore recovered mobile phones to their rightful owners.

“I would like to take this opportunity to highlight and improve awareness around the need for personal safety when using your mobile phone in public as well as the importance of recording your IMEI number and alerting your service provider to block the handset if lost or stolen.

?

IMEI numbers enable mobile providers to block phones and prevent calls being made in the event of theft. They can be found on most handsets by pressing *#06# on the phone’s keypad and the number then appears on the screen.

Experts say that the more stolen phones that are blocked through the IMEI number, the less attractive the crime becomes as the phones are effectively

‘bricked’ and can’t be sold on.

SIM cards can also be protected by

‘locking’ them. Once the SIM card is locked a PIN number has to be entered before a call can be made meaning that if the phone is stolen, the card can’t be used in any other phone.

If the PIN is entered incorrectly three times the SIM card is blocked and can only be unlocked by entering a PUK code (Personal Unblocking Key) provided by mobile operators.

Other measures that can be taken to prevent theft include:

?¢ Keeping mobile phones out of public view.

?¢ Being aware of your surroundings when using your phone.

?¢ Not leaving phones unattended in cars.

?¢ Not leaving phones on tables in bars or cafes.

Gardai also advise to keep your back to a wall when making or receiving calls to reduce the chances of being attacked from behind and using a location finder app, such as Apple’s

‘Find My iPhone’, to increase the chances of the phone being traced if it’s stolen.

If a phone is stolen, gardai say the incident should be reported at a local Garda station and mobile operators contacted immediately to suspend service and prevent calls being made.

Providers can block numbers by request from customers, but need the IMEI number to prevent the phone being used with any other SIM card.