Police are warning pub and club-goers to keep their belongings safe following reports of phone thefts in Thanet.
Last month Kent Police received around seven reports that phones had gone missing – believed stolen – from people who were out socialising across the district at the time.
Sergeant Heidi Collins from Thanet Community Safety Unit said: “December is a busy time of year for our night-time economy with more people taking the opportunity to go out and socialise, so we tend to notice an increase in the number of thefts reported.
“We want people to enjoy themselves while on a night out so we are asking them to be alert to opportunist thieves.
“People tend to keep a lot of important information on their phones so if they lose the device, it can be really disruptive and upsetting.
“Don’t leave your handbag, wallet or phone unattended when on the dancefloor or buying drinks at the bar. It can take just seconds for a theft to take place.
“We continue to work with those running night-time businesses to identify lines of enquiries into the thefts and also to promote trouble-free socialising.”
Anyone who sees anything suspicious taking place is asked to call Kent Police on 101 (or 999 if a crime is in progress).
For more advice visit https://www.kent.police.uk/cp/crime-prevention/theft-from-a-person/