Thefts of cell phones most frequent in summer
Summer is the time when most cell phones are stolen, as AXA's claims figures show. Since the end of the pandemic, there has also been a clear trend: thefts have increased by forty percent. However, not all cantons are equally affected - people from Geneva, Basel-Stadt and Bern are at greatest risk.
Street festivals, open-air cinemas, festivals: partying outdoors is part of a successful summer for many people. But if your smartphone is suddenly missing when you reach into your pants pocket or handbag, it can quickly dampen your spirits. Summer is the peak season for pickpockets, as AXA's loss statistics over the last ten years show. Almost a quarter of all cell phone thefts reported to the insurance company occur in July and August. The fewest occur in April, with only one in 15 cell phone thefts happening then. "In the summer, people are outside more often. That gives thieves more opportunities to strike - especially in large gatherings of people," explains Stefan Müller, head of property insurance at AXA. So it's hardly surprising that most thefts occur at the weekend, when numerous festivities are taking place. Over 40 percent of all cell phone thefts occur on Saturdays and Sundays. The risk is lowest on Wednesdays, when only one in ten cell phone thefts occurs.
Increase in thefts by 40 percent
The fact that people are more mobile again and more events are taking place is one reason why the number of stolen cell phones has increased since the end of the pandemic. In 2022, 40 percent more cell phones were stolen than in 2021 and as much as 50 percent more than in 2020. "Cross-border crime, which is now more feasible again, is probably also playing its part in the fact that the theft rate has increased," says Stefan Müller. In the first half of 2023, Axa's figures show a further increase of around 20 percent compared with the same period last year, so that the pre-pandemic level is likely to be reached again.
Caution in Geneva, Basel and Bern
AXA's evaluations show large differences not only between years, months and days of the week, but also between the cantons in which the insured persons reside. People from the canton of Geneva reported stolen cell phones to AXA around 5 times more frequently than the Swiss average and as much as 11 times more frequently than people from Ticino, who seem to be exposed to the lowest risk. Insured persons from the cantons of Basel-Stadt and Bern are also affected more often than average - but rarely from the cantons of Graubünden and Uri. These two cantons and Ticino record less than half as many stolen cell phones per insured person as the Swiss average.
Smartphone gone - what to do?
If the cell phone has been stolen, this must be reported to the local police station and the insurance company. Cell phone theft away from home is covered by the household insurance, provided that coverage for simple theft away from home or all-round coverage for smartphones, tablets and consumer electronics has been taken out.
Source and further information: AXA
