Comms: keep you hand on your phone

The problem has reached such serious proportions that more than three quarters of all assaults on the Metro are telephone thieves. iPhones are said to be the most popular target but that may be for the primary reason that other manufacturers are only just getting up to speed with similar devices.

It's not just using the phone for calling that attracts attention - arguably, that would be less likely to draw attention to its user than using the "smart features."

It's playing games, watching videos, handling e-mails that make the fact that the user has a flashy piece of kit obvious.

And whilst many countries, including neighbouring Britain, have systems that allow a stolen phone to be blocked, France doesn't use it. Also, there are dozens of free and paid-for downloads for both iPhone and Android that allow the owner to lock his phone and even to trace it without the thief knowing its happening.

But few people have them installed despite reports of their success.

The police like them, like they like similar applications installed on laptops. They can use real-time tracking to nab the thieves in possession of a device that they thought was unidentifiable. It's a quick, cheap and easy collar.

But for users of flashy phones in Paris, the best security at present appears to be to leave it in your pocket or on the sideboard at home.