How having your phone out on the road, street, or footpath leaves you vulnerable

Are you constantly on your phone while walking? Well be warned.

The Gardaí have released new figures that show two-thirds of all thefts and robberies involve mobile phones. The stats also reveal that two in five phone thefts take place on a road, street or footpath. The Garda Síochána Analysis Service have released the figures as part of a personal safety campaign which runs through March. The GSAS found:

• 3 in 4 victims of phone theft are aged between 18 and 39
• 2 in 5 thefts occur between 10am and 4am between Friday and Sunday
• There were 5,703 phone thefts in 2016, down 14% on 2015
• 498 phones were reported stolen last March, compared to 641 in 2015
• €2.5m worth of mobile phones were stolen in 2016

The ‘Streetwise’ campaign is targeting 18 to 39 year-olds with a message to mind their personal property and possessions, and to plan their nights out. The public awareness campaign will include advertising on digital media, outdoor advertising and in-pub advertising. On social media, people are being advised to #mindyourstuff. [caption id="attachment_335531" align="alignnone" width="576"] An Garda Síochána - community safety plan[/caption]