Phone stolen/pickpocketed from you in Paris? Unfortunately, I’ve been there. This post explains everything you need to know: your immediate steps, the police report process, and what you can do!
In a world where a cell phone can cost upwards of $1000, phone theft is increasingly more common. My iPhone was stolen in Paris, and I was absolutely lost on what to do! I like to think that I’ve been pretty good at avoiding theft and pickpockets over the years, but I was outsmarted. And it sucked. This blog post is going to tell you what to do when your phone is stolen in Paris.
How to Avoid Being Pickpocketed (in the first place)
I always associated Paris’ pickpockets with touristy and crowded places… the Eiffel Tower, the metro… places like that. Pickpockets, unfortunately, are everywhere (I was pickpocketed inside a cafe chain while having a coffee). It’s important to be super aware of your surroundings, and NOT to leave valuable items in plain sight. You’d think that would be a no brainer, but how often do we sit with our phones on the table? You think you’d notice if it was gone… but these pickpockets are professionals.
Classic Tricks
The art of distraction is something pickpockets have mastered. I was pickpocketed whilst doing work in a cafe. I had my phone next to me, and then someone came over with a newspaper. He first went to all those around me (but I was clearly the target), and then put the newspaper over my phone. After I said “no” and to take the newspaper away, he took the newspaper (AND MY PHONE UNDER IT) away, and left. Thirty seconds later I realised and ran out of the cafe, but he was gone. This, unfortunately, is a classic trick.
I like to use small purse that I can keep close to my side, but I also like using my PacSafe backpack. Here are some other best anti-theft backpacks.
Pickpockets in Paris Metro
Another one is for the thief to bump into you in the metro. He might apologise with a hand on the shoulder or waist, and your phone is gone from your pocket. In metros, if you’re sitting by the doors, either have your cell phone away or hold it tightly, as people will run by right as doors are closing and nab your phone or purse.
At ATMs, avoid anyone who tries to talk to you. After you’ve entered your PIN code, one or two people will talk to you to distract you whilst another takes out the largest sum of money possible.
These all might seem like things you’d pick up on, but you’d be surprised at how distracted we get. It’s best to stay attentive, to avoid flashing wallets or phones, and to zip items up in a safe place.
My iPhone Got Stolen… Now What? What to do if your phone is stolen in Paris.
First things first. Lock your phone.
iPhones have the capacity to do this remotely via iCloud. You can put your phone on ‘lost mode,’ which will notify you when it’s ‘found.’ It will display a message on the screen and have a contact phone number. Unfortunately when a phone is stolen, the thief will probably ignore this message, but it’s still worth a go. You also need to contact your cell phone network provider to let them know the situation. They should be able to disconnect your SIM card so that the thief can’t rack up the international call charges.
Change your passwords
If you had any connected apps on your phone, like facebook, banking apps, or email, change those passwords immediately. Even if you had a lock on your phone, the thief might be capable of hacking into your phone and getting your data. Change your passwords ASAP and if the website has an option to log you out of all devices, do this.
Have a look on Find my iPhone
Typically, the thief will shut off your phone so it can’t be found, but if he or she is forgetful, you might get lucky and be able to track it.
Don’t remove your iPhone from your devices on iCloud, as an Apple store employee told me as long as it’s still one of your devices, it’ll be tougher for someone to hack into it (even if returned to factory settings). It’s worth a shot.
File a Police Report
If your phone is stolen, you’ll probably have some trouble finding directions to the nearest police station. I actually asked about 15 strangers for help, all of whom where super helpful and friendly when I said “excuse me, do you speak English?” in broken French and then explained the situation. You can also go into some hotels, explain the situation, and ask if you can use a business centre computer or wifi to get ahold of others and find the nearest police posts.
Once you get to the station, ask politely if anyone speaks English and you’ll fill out a form. The form will ask you for details about the theft (where it happened, what time it happened, personal information, and what the pickpocket looked like). You’ll sit next to an officer whilst he enters this data into the computer, and then you’ll be asked if the thief matches any of their mugshots. If he/she doesn’t (he probably won’t honestly), then you probably won’t recover your phone.
HOWEVER, if you have your phone’s serial number, the police can blacklist your phone, making it unusable with any network provider in France. While you might not get your phone back, at least it’s satisfying knowing the pickpocket won’t make a great sale from it. Unfortunately, I found mine ended up in Algeria so I think it can still be used… and it’s VERY unlikely I’ll be getting it back.
Make sure you ask for a copy of the police report, as you never know when it’ll be useful. If you have insurance, either travel insurance or another kind, you might be able to be compensated for your phone. Also ensure that the officer signs the stamps on these copies.
Unfortunately, all you can do at this point is wait, though I wouldn’t get your hopes up because there are LOTS of pickpocket and theft cases in Paris, as well as bigger issues for the police to deal with.
How to Buy A New iPhone in Paris
If you’re travelling for an extended period of time, you’ll probably have to buy a new phone. This is a HUGE bummer, as phones are an investment. While some of you might want to wait until your home or in the next country you’re travelling to, if the Euro is weaker than your home/next country’s currency, it might be smart to just buy it here. This is because Apple products are all priced the same in different currencies. So if I bought a phone in Paris, it might only be, say, 600 euros, but it would cost 600 pounds in London, which is the equivalent of 685 euros. Right there you could save 85 euros! There are two Apple stores that are easy to get to.
Locations
Apple Operá
12 Rue Halévy
Apple Marché Saint-Germain
9 Rue Clément
I went to the Operá location, and everyone there was very helpful and spoke English. You can either buy a new phone right there with one of their staff, or you can use their sample iPads/iPhones/Macs to purchase one (say, if your wallet was also stolen and you only have another card’s details but not the physical card). If you purchase online, it should be ready to be picked up one hour after purchasing.
While you wait, there’s an Exki restaurant right across the street of the back entrance. This is a cafe chain known for its healthy grab and go meals, but you can also sit in. Their mission is about sustainability and healthy eating. I enjoyed waiting there, and I even treated myself to a cookie.
When you purchase a new phone, it’ll be given to you in a clear Apple drawstring bag. I highly recommend taking the phone out of the box and putting it somewhere safe on you, and then balling up the bag and hiding that and the box. Don’t wear the drawstring bag because it can easily be cut through and then your new phone is stolen once more.
I hope that this article was helpful. Chances are, if you’re reading it, your phone was stolen. I’ve been there and it’s really frustrating 🙁
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i wish i had bookmarked this while I was living in Spain for two years! Such a great post, I am the victim of many lost phones throughout my time living in Europe! I really liked how you mentioned how to avoid getting your phone stolen, each time I was in Paris, I witnessed someone getting pickpocketing; it’s no fun!
It’s such a shame how often it happens! Even when we’re trying our hardest to pay attention to things, there’s always something to distract you and I hate how they capitalise on that! Just part of travel I guess…
Hi Anya ! I am from Paris and I am so, so sorry you have been stolen. It happens a lot in big crowded & touristy capitals and especially in Paris. I am sad the first article I saw on your blog about Paris is to talk about this subject, but it is how it is 🙂 I hope you will come back and enjoy more than this time !
The best advice I could give you as a Parisian is : hide your phone and important documents/credit cards in a small purse you will have always with you, under your clothes. Seems extreme, but the thieves are so used to robe tourists, it’s the best way to avoid it.
Love your articles about Nepal ! Cheers
This message is so sweet! Thank you so much! I’ve been to Paris before and had no problems, but unfortunately not this last time! I have another trip to Paris booked so I definitely plan on enjoying my trip more than last time! 🙂 and I’ll definitely be taking a small purse and hiding everything- I’m paranoid now! 😉
I lost my samsung s7 edge phone in paris metro in montepronas station while changing the metro line..
Its on may 19th 2019..
As we are tourist from india…and no roaming facility was done and using in wi fi connection..
As our contacts and our password..important files are in the phone..
Please any body concerned authorities take action on this and revert us..
Kindly do the needfull..
Thanks and Regards
Raghavendra B N
I don’t believe the authorities could take much action on this apart from filing a report. Were your passwords stored on a cloud software or online? If they were, there are usually options to log out of all devices. So sorry this happened and best of luck!
My 17 yr old daughter is in Paris now visiting her older sister AND….her phone was stolen today on the Metro. I went over all these scenarios with both my girls, but people always think it’s not going to happen to them. She is devastated and will spend the end of her trip unplugged…which may give her the chance to really enjoy the beauty Paris has. I have sent them your articles so that they can protect themselves for the rest of their time there.
I’m so sorry to hear that! I will say, I did actually enjoy wandering around unplugged! It’s an unfortunate situation for sure, I’m so sorry this happened to her! Sending hugs!
My partner just had her phone stolen. He tried to steal someone elses’ and they caught him, so he jumped off the train. As soon as the train started moving, we realized the phone was gone.
We had AT&T, and they disabled everything on the phone in about 15 minutes.
We were able to call from my phone. The number for them is (using international dial) is 00-1-314-925 6925
My iPhone was stolen on Feb 16, 2020 near the Eiffel Tower – grab and run! I was able to track the phone for a day and it ended up in a cell phone repair shop in the 18th arr and then the flea market. I informed the authorities but as you mentioned they have other more important things to worry about. We filed a report and left the country the next day. Paris has unfortunately left such a bad taste in us that I’m not sure we’d ever come back. So sad.
I’m so sorry to hear this! It can definitely ruin a trip! Maybe skip Paris next time and visit some smaller places in France – the Alsace region is one of my favourites!
Your post gave me so much hope. My mom’s phone was actually stolen in London and of course before anything could be done the phone was already in aero plane mode/offline. We did exactly everything that you stated apart from going to the police physically but filing a report online. I was so paranoid and on edge. Your post gives me so much closure, at least you didn’t mention that someone stole your identity or tried to log into your accounts which makes me feel relieved.
I’m so sorry to hear! I’m glad this post could be reassuring though 🙂
Hey! I lost my iPhone on the New Year’s eve 2 weeks ago! As usual the police were extra busy because of New Year’s hassle and they asked me it’s okay if I raise the complaint even in Germany as I was leaving Paris the same night. It happened in a split second when I took my hand off my pocket to zip my handbag and when I went back to keep my hands in the pocket , it was gone! Even though I raised the complaint in Germany , I dont think they can do anything about it. Do you think I should raise an online complaint in the Paris police website or something? Between my iPhone ended up in Morocco and I can see it right now , its in Morocco since 2 days :/
Hi Sherbeen! I’m so sorry to hear about this. It’s so frustrating when you know exactly when it happened! The police won’t be able to recover your phone, but you may be able to give them your phone serial number so that the user won’t be able to use the phone in France or with any French carrier.
France, Paris, Feb 23,2023
My wife and I were waiting for the subway train during rush The trains were packed, so we waited for one that we could get on. “if you can get on, just meet me at Grand Boulevard station,” she said. “I”ll get the next one.”
As I was getting on, a woman pushed me from behind, shouting something in French. Being a native New Yorker, I am used to getting on packed trains and having people shout, “Move in!” So I moved in, being pushed and shoved, trying elotokeep my hand holding onto the small roller suitcase and my satchel I used as a backpack, worried that my gear was annoying people. Before the last stop, I instinctively lowered my left hand, which was used to heby leaning on a person next to me, to my pants pocket and realized my wallet was gone. A moment later, a woman handed me my wallet, but it was missing the $400 U.S. dollars, but still had the $5 Euro.
Why didn’t they take the whole wallet? Not my cards, my driver’s license? This had me perplexed the rest of the night.
It’s not about the money. I was dumb enough not to take basic travel precautions, so mine is a cautionary tale. So I deserved it. A $400 lesson.
But joke’s on them. After the currency exchange, they only get 377€!
Thanks for the informations! saved my day right there!