To better understand theft of portable electronic goods, this study examined the type of goods stolen during theft and robbery in England and Wales over almost two decades.

Using all sweeps of the Crime Survey for England and Wales between 1994 and 2011, the proportion of incidents where a particular item was stolen was calculated and then compared over time.

A small range of items accounted for the bulk of what was taken, namely, cash, purses/wallets, credit/debit cards, and mobile phones.

Considerable changes to the stolen goods landscape were found, with a shift from more traditional items such as cash and purses/wallets to portable electronic items such as mobile phones. Recommendations are made for preventing the loss of the items most frequently stolen during offenses of theft and robbery.