Cell phone theft: You should be particularly careful in these cantons

In Switzerland, cell phones are stolen most often in July and August. However, there are clear differences among the cantons: Cell phone thieves are most active in Geneva, Basel-Stadt, and Bern. 

They like festivals, parties, and overcrowded outdoor swimming areas: Pickpockets can be found everywhere where there are bustling crowds. And since this is more often the case after the COVID-19 pandemic, you should be cautious. Besides cash and wallets, cell phones are also very popular items among thieves. A cell phone is stolen in one out of every six thefts outside the home, as shown by the AXA claims statistics.

Warm weekends favored by thieves

Summer is high season for theft. A quarter of all cell phones are stolen in July and August. It’s especially worthwhile to watch out on weekends: Over half of all cell phone thefts happen Friday to Sunday. “In summer, people are outside more often and there is more going on. This gives thieves more opportunities to strike,” explains Stefan Müller, Head of Property Insurance Claims at AXA. 

Most cell phone thefts in Geneva, Basel, and Bern

AXA’s analysis over the past ten years shows there are big differences depending on the canton where you are. The canton of Geneva reports the most stolen cell phones per insured person – 6.4 times more than the Swiss average. Basel-Stadt also has a disproportionately high frequency (4.7 times higher), as do Bern (4.3 times higher), Basel-Land (3.9 times higher), and Fribourg (3.8 times higher). The cantons of Ticino, Graubünden, and Thurgau are significantly below the Swiss average. In these cantons, only half the Swiss average of cell phone thefts are reported (2.4 times, 2.3 times, and 1.9 times fewer thefts, respectively).