British tourists are being urged to stay vigilant with their possessions while traveling abroad, as nearly half report having their phones stolen during their trips.

According to recent findings by gadget insurer Insurance2Go, a striking 41% of UK travelers have experienced phone theft while on vacation.

Spain tops the list of countries where incidents occur most frequently, with one in five victims reporting theft there. Meanwhile, 14% of respondents had their phones stolen in France, and 10% fell prey to thieves in Canada.

Over the years, there has been an increase in reports of pickpocketing and sophisticated phone scams in popular Spanish tourist destinations such as Benidorm, Barcelona, and Tenerife.

Spanish newspaper El País highlights the extent of the problem, noting that 279,319 mobile phones were reported stolen across Spain in 2014, which breaks down to one phone being taken every two minutes.

Given the influx of British tourists to Spain each year, it is evident that they are particularly affected by this surge in phone theft.

Meanwhile, around one in ten said their phone was stolen during a trip to Italy, while nine per cent experienced similar theft in the United States. 

The study showed that millennials are most at risk, with 81 per cent of thefts happening to those aged between 25 to 34.

One fifth of holidaymakers have fallen victim to phone theft in Spain, according to Insurance2Go

Of the 2,000 British adults surveyed, a fifth of holidaymakers have had their phone taken directly from their luggage.

A further eight per cent have had their device pinched from their pockets, seven per cent from tables while seated for dinner or coffee, six per cent snatched straight out of their hands, and three per cent stolen on public transport.

Men are also 15 per cent more likely to fall victim to phone theft than women, though both genders are equally vulnerable in countries like Spain. 

As for reporting the crime to local authorities, more than a quarter of British holidaymakers admitted they did not take action after having their device stolen – with 19 per cent saying they didn’t due to not having insurance. 

But for the remainder of respondents who did file a report, half said it was already too late and 18 per cent said they wished they had acted sooner. 

According to Insurance2Go, the company has seen £1,053,420 worth of claims due to theft, with the average cost to replace an iPhone sitting at £543.

Darren Corney, phone expert at Insurance2Go, said: ‘It’s clear that holidaymakers need to be more vigilant. 

‘The fact that almost one in ten had their phone taken directly from their bag or luggage highlights how opportunistic these thefts are.’

8 per cent of holidaymakers have had their device pinched from their pockets, 7 per cent from tables while seated for dinner or coffee and 6 per cent snatched straight out of their hands

He further advised: ‘Keep your phone out of sight in crowded areas, avoid leaving it in easily accessible pockets or bags and consider using anti-theft accessories like cross-body bags or phone lanyards.

‘If your phone is stolen, report it immediately as delays can reduce the chances of recovery.

‘Before you travel, check your insurance cover. 

‘Over the past three years, we have received more than 15,000 claims for stolen Apple iPhones alone, showing just how common and costly this issue can be.’