Tyler was out walking near the Science Museum in South Kensington when a thief drove by and snatched his phone right from his hand. “I was just walking along with my headphones in and my phone in my hand when they passed by and yanked it away,” he recounted in an interview with BBC London. “I was gutted. I realized it was really gone when my music cut off from my headphones.”
Reflecting on his experience, Tyler expressed optimism about new Google AI technology designed to combat phone theft, stating it could have made a “massive difference” for him.
With mobile phone theft becoming a pervasive issue in London—where last year, 69% of all thefts involved mobile devices—Google is introducing features that could help prevent such incidents. The updated technology automatically locks the screen if someone snatches a phone, providing a layer of security that Tyler and others could benefit from. However, users need to activate these features in their phone settings since they are turned off by default.
This new Android update utilizes AI and sensors to detect when a phone has been forcibly taken and locks it to protect the user’s data. Additionally, a Remote Lock feature allows users to secure a lost or stolen device using their mobile number, which could be invaluable for those who can’t recall their passwords after the shock of a theft.
Tyler shared his thoughts on this new capability: “I actually think this technology is quite good because when my phone got stolen, I was unable to remote lock it. I struggled to remember my password at that moment. When I finally got internet access, I still couldn’t lock my phone because I didn’t recall my password. I felt flustered since I had updated my password about six months ago. With Google’s new initiative requiring just your mobile number, I think that’s a smart way to lock phones.”
The growing prevalence of phone snatching has been alarming, with new statistics indicating that mobile phone crimes are driving an increase in overall robberies in London. In 2022, phones were at the center of 33% of all robberies, which translates to over 11,800 separate incidents.
London’s Mayor, Sadiq Khan, has also praised the new security measures, stating he advocated last year for mobile companies to make their devices less appealing to thieves. He mentioned that the Metropolitan Police are actively targeting the city’s worst crime hotspots.
Tech expert Jake Moore, a global cybersecurity advisor at Eset, elaborated on the update, indicating that it leverages advanced AI and sensors to detect suspicious activity, expediting the locking process. He advised anyone who has their phone stolen to contact their provider immediately to deactivate the SIM card and to try to put the phone in lost mode or wipe it remotely to prevent unauthorized access to their accounts.
Tyler hopes that these innovations will deter would-be thieves, explaining, “If phones become virtually useless to them, they’ll think twice about stealing them. Then the devices essentially turn into bricks, and there’s no resale value.”
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