Police are offering junior school pupils a free mobile phone security marking service to protect them against theft.
Up to 75 per cent of ten and 11-year-olds now have mobile phones, according to police research.
PC Andy Hart, Brighton and Hove police schools liaison officer, said he was not surprised by the figure.
He said: "The phones can be very useful but youngsters love to send text messages and parents pay the bill."
PC Hart said between 50 and 75 per cent of Year 6 children now owned a mobile, even though many schools banned them.
He said: "The Year 6 children we are targeting are just a few weeks away from secondary school, where we get problems of theft."
Yesterday officers were at West Hove Junior School in Portland Road, Hove, offering tamper-resistant stickers and ultraviolet pen marking.
PC Hart said: "If every phone was marked, maybe thieves would think twice about stealing them."
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