BBCTyler was walking outside the South Kensington Science Museum when his phone was snatched from him.
“I was walking with my headphones on, my phone in my hand and they walked past and snatched the phone out of my hand,” he told the BBC in London.
“I was gutted. I realized it was really gone once my music disconnected from my phone, from my headphones.”
After going through this experience, he welcomed Google’s new AI technology, which he said would have made “a huge difference” for him.
Getty ImagesThe new technology automatically locks the screen when a phone is grabbed, which Google says could help combat theft.
Users will need to enable these new features in their phone settings to experience the benefits as they are disabled by default.
The new update for Android devices works by using AI and sensors to identify when a thief has grabbed and made off with a user’s phone and locks the screen to prevent them from accessing it or to access the data stored there.
A remote lock feature will also lock a lost or stolen device using only the phone number.
Google said these new features could help users who don’t remember their password or other credentials moments after a theft, but still need to secure their personal data.
Tyler added: “I actually think this new technology is pretty good, because when my phone was stolen, I couldn’t lock it remotely, and I really struggled because I didn’t I didn’t remember my password at the time.
“So when I got online, I couldn’t lock my phone because I couldn’t remember my password.
“I was pissed and I had updated my password about six months ago, so with Google’s new initiative, where they only need your cell number, I think it’s a good way to lock phones.”
Mobile phone thefts are a modern crime wave: 69% of all thefts in London last year were linked to mobile phones.
New figures show mobile phone crime is behind the rise in robberies and thefts in the capital, with 33% of all thefts last year involving phone theft, equating to more than 11,800 crimes.
The new security update was also welcomed by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who said he had put pressure on mobile phone companies last year “to make sure their devices didn’t attract thieves “.
Mr Khan added that the Metropolitan Police were also taking “targeted action by carrying out patrols in London’s worst hotspots” to curb the problem.
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Technical expert Jake Moore, global cybersecurity advisor at Eset, told BBC London that the update leverages new AI technology and sensors to detect suspicious movements to speed up the lockdown process .
He added: “If you find that your phone has been stolen, you should immediately contact your telephone company to remove the SIM card and attempt to put your phone into lost mode or even attempt to wipe it remotely.
“This will prevent thieves from generating one-time SMS passcodes to gain fuller access to your accounts.
“Most thieves will instantly take the device offline, which Android will try to counter with its smart offline device lock feature.”
Tyler says he hopes this new technology will make people think twice before stealing phones.
“Because then the phones are worthless. And then there’s no resale value. And then they waste their time taking these phones because they end up turning into bricks.”
