By Dan Ilett, 24 August 2006 12:35
NEWS
Britons take more care with mobile phone and iPods than they do with their passports, new research suggests.
According to a survey conducted for the Identity and Passport Service (IPS), only 22 per cent of respondents said they keep their passport locked away.
Yet when it comes to iPods, jewellery and other valuables, 28 per cent said they are locked away and another 44 per cent said they are kept securely.
The survey found many people would act more quickly when a mobile phone went missing than with passport theft. Almost eight out of 10 (79 per cent) said if their phone was stolen they would contact their mobile phone company that day. But only 64 per cent said they would immediately report the loss of a passport.
However, IPS executive director Bernard Herdan said passports are more valuable to a thief than gadgets.
Respondents said they are more careful with passports when abroad - more than half (58 per cent) put their passport in a hotel safe when travelling.
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1. anonymous
I don't think the foreign office or passport service really care if you loose a passport. We had 2 stolen in Spain. Consulate in Barcelona took no details and would only issue a temporary replacement if we were flying. We got back into the country via Eurotunnel on the basis of 2 photo driving licences and no one in immigration wanted to take our details. The online 'report a passport stolen' service requires you to wait for them to send printed details which you sign and post back. Well over 2 weeks before our passports were cancelled.