Britain’s most stolen phones of 2025 have been revealed with the same brand being a top choice for thieves.
Figures show that phone thefts in Britain peak over the summer months coinciding with travel, festivals and shopping.
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Nearly two in five mobiles stolen across Europe are taken in the UK despite making up less than 10 per cent of European customers.
The figures come from SquareTrade, an American company that offers gadget insurance across Europe.
They told a shocking story with a 425 per cent increase since June 2021.
And the latest figures from the Crime Survey for England and Wales show that “theft from the person” increased 50 per cent in 2024.
Topping the list of the most stolen phone is the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Released in 2023, The Sun described it at the time as the “new crowning jewel” of Apple’s smartphone empire.
It was the first time the tech giant switched to a titanium design compared to a stainless steel frame.
The device also came with an Action Button for the first time after ditching the Mute Switch as well as a the super fast A17 Pro chip.
It was also fitted with a 48-megapixel quad-pixel camera that delivers extremely detailed photos with particular improvements to low-light photography as well as an increased optical zoom.
And despite being nearly two years old, the official Apple store still sells the devices from £800 down from £1,199 when they were initially released.
With 80 per cent of stolen devices in the UK being iPhones it’s no surprise that second on the list is the iPhone 16 Pro Max.
The newest Apple model on the market, The Sun tried the iPhone 16 for a week in September 2024.
Out of the new iPhone 16 line-up the Pro Max easily came out on top.
It has the biggest screen of any iPhone ever with a whopping 6.9-inch display and can currently be purchased from the Apple store for £1,199.
For such a lofty sum of money, users get an upgraded A18 Pro Chip which powers a whole host of behind-the-scenes AI features.
And there’s a new 48-megapixel Fusion camera that’s capable of shooing 4K video in Dolby Vision at a staggeringly high 120 frames per second.
But the thing that impressed most by far was the ludicrous battery life with the workhorse device boasting 33 hours of video playback before it runs out.
Coming in at third place on the list is the Samsung S24 Ultra, released at the beginning of 2024.
Heavy on AI features, it even features the technology in its numerous high quality cameras.
The device’s stunning night-defying camera, hefty battery and solid premium style beat the iPhone in our review of the phone.
This is perhaps reflected in the price with a £1,250 price tag at the time of release.
It’s not surprising that the three most stolen devices all cost more than £1,000.
But beyond the cost of the device, criminals are also targeting phones for access to sensitive data, including banking apps, crypto wallets and personal accounts.
London also lies at the centre of the phone theft epidemic according to the insurance claims data.
Just this week giant signs were painted on Oxford street to warn Londoners to get off their phones amid record high snatches.
What to do if your phone is stolen
REPORT your phone’s theft to the police and mobile network.
Your network provider can block your SIM to prevent other people making calls on your account.
Insurance expert Alicia Hempsted, of finance website moneysupermarket.com, said: “Try to get in touch with them within 24 hours — otherwise you may be liable to pay the full amount for any additional charges incurred.”
Reporting a theft to the police will give you a crime reference number, and Anna McEntee adds: “This will be essential for making an insurance claim. You should also contact your insurer as soon as possible to start the claims process.”
The National Police Chiefs’ Council recommends doing this:
- CHOOSE a strong PIN, passcode, password or pattern.
- KNOW your IMEI number. The IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) is a unique 15-digit code on each mobile which can track it. Type *#06# on your phone keypad and the number/QR code pops up. Take a screenshot or print it out and keep it somewhere separate to your phone.
- USE a tracking app on your phone to see where it is from another device.
- TURN OFF message previews so thieves won’t see any messages about reset or log-in codes when your phone is locked.
- MAKE sure you can still access your data via other devices.
