Travellers heading to London are being warned to be careful when using their phones – with figures indicating a mobile device is stolen, on average, every six minutes in England’s capital city.

In January alone, 8500 phones were reported as stolen, with figures released to the BBC revealing that only 119 were returned to their owners. In the whole of 2022, 91,000 were officially recorded as stolen, with a return rate of less than two per cent.

While it is inconceivable to expect tourists to travel without their phones, warnings have been issued across the globe for visitors heading to one of the world’s top tourist hotspots to be wary when using them.

Among the most obvious advice is to be aware of your surroundings when using your phone and, and if you’re travelling into London, or anywhere else for that matter, ensure your travel insurance covers you for phone theft.

“Resist the urge to talk on the phone while walking – that makes you more vulnerable because you won’t be concentrating on your surroundings,” Angus Kidman, a travel and tech expert at comparison website Finder, told news.com.au. “Need to check a map? Do that, holding the phone in both hands, then put it away and continue.”

On the insurance question, Kidman warned: “Many insurance policies will cover replacing a stolen or lost phone, but not all do, and some will require you to specifically list the phone on the policy.”

Following the BBC story, City of London Police, which polices the district of the same name in the capital, posted a warning on social media telling all visitors to the area: “Be aware of your surroundings and be on the lookout for mopeds and bikes.”