Report to the People
Mobile Phone Crime
A friend of mine and his wife are just back from holiday in Ibiza.
On the last night, finding they had a few extra Euros left over, they decided to dine out in a swish, high-class restaurant. At the end of the meal, just as they were polishing off their coffee and liqueurs, a rather dishevelled figure entered and shambled towards them, brandishing a small card. "I am a deaf mute," it read. "Will you buy a rose for 3 Euros so I can feed my family?"
Being a decent bloke, my friend handed over some loose change, which the flower seller graciously accepted, before moving on to the next table.
He had made it about halfway round the restaurant, doing fairly brisk trade, when his earning prospects for the evening took a sudden downturn. The mobile phone in his pocket went off.
The mortified flower seller beat a hasty retreat, having learned a lesson which many of us already know – that your mobile can at times be a right nuisance.
But the minor irritations of your boss calling you when you’re out shopping, or your con-man business losing a night’s takings, pale into insignificance when we think about the advantages our mobiles give us.
Hardworking parents can keep in touch with their kids. Commuters can make effective use of their time on the train or in the car. And we no longer need to bother remembering phone numbers, or birthdays, or anniversaries – our phone takes care of it.
As always, though, there’s a flip-side. With mobiles now a must-have fashion accessory, they are a top target for thieves. And because we rely so heavily on them, because they hold so much of our lives, many of us would be completely lost if our mobile was stolen.
So what can be done to make mobiles less attractive to criminals?
We, of course, can take the usual precautions like recording our phone’s IMEI and SIM numbers, always using PIN codes and not leaving it on prominent display.
But the mobile companies also have a responsibility to make their products more secure. And they are making progress. From the beginning of this month, for example, any SIM card inserted into a stolen Vodafone handset will automatically be barred from use in any other Vodafone handset. Work has also begun to develop a system to identify and track stolen mobiles and other innovations are in the pipeline.
By taking these sensible steps, mobile users and companies will help us all enjoy the benefits – and the irritations – of our mobiles in safety.
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