If you're mugged
Wednesday 25 January 2006
Even when you're taking care of yourself and your stuff when you're out and about, it's a sad fact that street crime still happens.
Following on from SAFE Anti-Robbery Week, need2know has lots of tips on how you can stay safe when you're getting from A to B; just take a look in the related links.
If the worst does happen, and you are mugged and your stuff's taken from you, there are a few things you need to know to protect yourself further.
Don't fight back
If your mugger has acted in a violent way towards you, it can be tempting to lash out. After all, being mugged isn't a nice experience and is bound to make you angry.
The key to keeping yourself safe, though, is not to fight back. Your mugger may have weapons or the back-up of some mates around the corner.
It may sound like you're giving in, but the best thing for you to do is just to hand over the stuff that the mugger's after. Material things can be replaced; your life can't.
Get out of there
As soon as it's safe to do so, get right away from the area where the mugging happened.
Head somewhere brightly-lit, where there are plenty of people around. Go somewhere like a shop, explain what's happened and ask if you can call the police.
If you're near home, make it there as soon as you can, but if the muggers took your keys, make sure that you're not being followed.
Call the police
Sounds obvious, but some people don't even bother calling the police to say that they've been mugged.
If someone mugs you, it's best if you report the crime so that the police can try and find the culprits to stop it happening again to somebody else.
If your phone's been nicked and it's insured, you'll definitely need to call the police.
The police will give you a crime number, which you have to give to your insurance company so that they can look at your claim.
Dish the details
Give as much info to the police as you can.
Although you'll have been through a traumatic experience, it's important that you try and give as full a description as possible.
Sometimes the police will ask you if you mind riding around in their car or van with them for a while to see if you can spot who did it. If you can face it, it might be worth doing; you might be able to get your stuff back.
Cancel everything
As soon as you can, get on the phone to your bank to make sure that the mugger can't use any of your cards.
If your mobile has been taken, you should also get in touch with your mobile phone service provider and get your SIM card and phone blocked.
If your phone wasn't insured and you have a contract phone, you will have to pay for a new SIM card. Replacing your phone without insurance can be costly, unless you buy one secondhand.
Your mobile phone company may be able to tell you where you can get hold of one.
If your mugger has been using your cards, different banks have their own policies for dealing with this.
As long as you reported the crime as soon as possible, it's unlikely you'll be liable for whatever they spend, but check with your bank.
Don't worry
Just because you've been mugged once doesn't mean it's going to happen again, so there's no need to lock yourself away. Mugging is a very unpleasant crime to experience, but you shouldn't let it affect your life.
For organisations who can help you overcome what's happened to you, take a look at our related links.
