The government has pledged to help reduce the number of mobile phones which are stolen throughout the UK by unveiling a range of new technologies. Showing the need for students personal possessions insurance, it is estimated that around 228 mobile phones are stolen throughout the country every hour. In response to this figure, the Home Office has revealed that designers have been challenged to come up models which will make it harder for thieves. One device causes an alarm to be raised and the handset to be locked if it is removed from a set range, while another matches a phone to its SIM card.

The third prototype will mean that mobile transactions are more secure because a card is kept on the person and scanned whenever a purchase is to be made. "Its about thinking smarter than criminals," confirmed David Kester, alliance member and chief executive of the Design Council.