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Phone theft is on the rise.
There are ways you can protect yourself.
We also cover what to do if you're a victim.
My wife and I like to travel throughout the year. We sometimes venture to unfamiliar or offbeat places, both in the US and abroad. Naturally, we bring along our smartphones to snap photos and videos, get travel directions, and search for information on local attractions.
But our phones can also be tempting targets for thieves lurking nearby. That's especially true if we're focused on taking a photo or following walking directions and aren't paying attention to the people around us.
Also: The 7 gadgets I never travel without (and why they make such a big difference)
The FCC said in June that smartphones are valuable to thieves due to their high resale value and the lucrative personal information they contain. Phone theft has been on the rise, especially in popular cities such as New York, London, and Rio de Janeiro, according to a 2025 report from the mobile industry group GSMA.
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