Watch What Happens When an iPhone Gets Stolen

There’s been a really cool YouTube video circulating around lately that caught my eye. As much as this is a travel blog, the fact is, the iPhone has shaped the way I travel – documenting trips, writing posts, and taking pictures, not to mention searching maps, reviews and more. The iPhone, like any other phone, is big-time vulnerable of getting stolen while traveling…especially while traveling.

I don’t know about you, but I’m addicted to my phone. I’m on it when I board the plane, on it in the club lounge, on it on the subway, and on it in the hotel. The fact that it hasn’t got stolen to-date is a big surprise to me.

So, what happens when a cell phone is stolen?

Film maker Anthony van der Meer purposely got his phone stolen…and what happens next will surprise you.

After my phone got stolen, I quickly realized just how much of my personal information and data the thief had instantly obtained. So, I let another phone get stolen. This time my phone was pre-programmed with spyware so I could keep tabs on the thief in order to get to know him. However, to what extent is it possible to truly get to know someone by going through the content of their phone?

In the Netherlands, 300 police reports a week are filed for smartphone-theft. Besides losing your expensive device, a stranger has access to all of your photos, videos, e-mails, messages and contacts.

Yet, what kind of person steals a phone? And where do stolen phones eventually end up?

The short documentary ‘Find My Phone’ follows a stolen phone’s second life by means of using spyware.

Although you’ll meet the person behind the theft up close and personal, the question remains: how well can you actually get to know someone when you base yourself on the information retrieved from their phone?

The video is in dutch, with English subtitles.

So, How do I Prevent Having my Phone Stolen?

First off, if my phone does get stolen, I do have Find My iPhone Enabled, that way I can track it in the short term until it gets disabled. While the video certainly shows the lack of features and real capability in Find My iPhone, if you don’t have it, you’re missing out of doing anything in the short term.

Second, I carry my phone on my belt. I hate the bulkiness of putting it on my pocket, and I find that because the phone on my belt lies under my arm, it will allow me to feel if the phone is getting swiped. It’s snapped into a belt holster that requires the thief to press the release in order for the phone to be removed. While it’s not fool proof, I think it deters any thief since the phone is attached to me.

I do keep regular backups of my phone – daily, in fact. If my phone does get stolen, I’ve got an almost instantaneous way of restoring my information and data onto a new phone. Even if you’re not worried about theft, this is great if your device gets into trouble with water damage or other damaging causes.

What ways do you prevent your phone from getting stolen while traveling?