Portable Electronics and Trends in Goods Stolen from the Person

Objectives: To better understand theft of portable electronic goods, this study examined the type of goods stolen during theft and robbery in England and Wales over almost two decades. Methods: Using all sweeps of the Crime Survey for England and Wales between 1994 and 2011, the proportion of incidents where a particular item was stolen was calculated and then compared over time. Results: A small range of items accounted for the bulk of what was taken, namely, cash, purses/wallets, credit/debit cards, and mobile phones. Conclusions: Considerable changes to the stolen goods landscape were found, with a shift from more traditional items such as cash and purses/wallets to portable electronic items such as mobile phones. Recommendations are made for preventing the loss of the items most frequently stolen during offenses of theft and robbery.