ADVICE on how to prevent your new mobile phone, personal music player or tablet computer falling into the hands of thieves has been issued by police.

Many people will have received an electronic gadget as a Christmas present and the Metropolitan Police said there is always a rise in robberies and thefts at the beginning of January as people and children return to school and work.

Det Ch Supt Simon Letchford said: “Many of these phones and other devices are worth hundreds of pounds and not only contain personal information but may also have photographs of sentimental value that can’t easily be replaced.

“People need to take as much care of their phones in the same way as they would their other valuables – they would be reluctant, for example, to openly display hundreds of pounds worth of cash in the street.”

Mobile phone owners should find their handset’s IMEI number, the unique serial number which is usually found under the battery of a device, and register it for free on the www.immobilise.com database which can be accessed by any police officer.

Police advise using a password or PIN lock on electronic devices and to download a free tracking application, such as Find My iPhone or Find My iPad, which use GPS technology to allow people to roughly see where their device is if it is stolen.

However, users will have to toggle the settings to prevent thieves from deleting or disabling the application.

Det Ch Supt Letchford said victims of robbery or theft should first report the loss to police as soon as possible on 101 or, if violence was involved, 999, and then inform the service provider, which can block the phone.