MORE than six mobile phones are stolen every day in Bradford, the Telegraph & Argus can reveal.

Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show that 2,470 thefts were reported in the district last year - an average of 6.8 a day - but just 172 of the cases, or 6.9 per cent, resulted in a charge or summons.

During the first two months of this year, 394 phones were reported stolen, working out at 6.7 a day, and 14 of the cases - or 3.5 per cent - have so far resulted in a charge or summons being issued.

The figures make Bradford the second worst district in West Yorkshire for mobile phone thefts, second only to Leeds which has around 200,000 more people living in it.

In neighbouring Kirklees, 222 mobile phones were reported stolen to police between January 1 and February 28 this year and in Calderdale, police received 86 reports. For Leeds, the figure for the same period is 835.

The figures, released by West Yorkshire Police, show that between 2012 and the end of February 2015, almost 40,000 mobile phones were stolen in the region - 5.6 per cent, or 2,251, led to charges or summons.

Last month five of the main mobile providers announced they had signed up to a voluntary agreement to introduce a "liability cap" of £100. It means that as long as the phone is reported lost or stolen within 24 hours of going missing, customers will not be landed of a bill of thousands of pounds.

Citizens Advice chief executive Gillian Guy said: "Victims of phone crime should not be paying excessive bills run up by thieves.

"A cap on bills from stolen mobile phones will come as much-needed relief to consumers targeted by phone fraudsters. Citizens Advice has been calling for a cap to be put in place after helping consumers landed with bills as high as £23,000."

In September, a Home Office report said thieves particularly targeted smartphones, not only because they were the most valuable, but also because they provide access to more personal content, which can also be exploited or sold on.

West Yorkshire Police Crime Reduction Officer Chris Joyce said: ‘‘Theft of mobile phones is an issue, particularly around the night-time economy.

‘‘We carry out regular awareness campaigns to highlight the vulnerability of leaving mobile phones in unattended bags and coats and on top of bars and tables. This had led to significant reductions in the reported cases- over 20 per cent across West Yorkshire in the last full year.

‘‘The levels of those charged in connection with the offence is largely down to a lack of suspects as the majority of these type of thefts occur when the phone is unattended in a bag, coat or on a table.’’

Bradford Council's deputy leader, and community safety spokesman, Cllr Imran Hussain said more needed to be done to bring offenders to justice, especially in cases where there were aggravating circumstances.

"We need to make sure as many people as possible face the law. There are cases where phones are left unattended and it makes it more difficult to investigate.

"But in cases where there are aggravating features more needs to be done and those responsible need to feel the full arm of the law," he said.