Can one person use several mobile devices?¶

Yes. One person may use several mobile devices at the same time or move between them over a period.

What this means¶

They may have a personal phone, work phone, tablet, smartwatch, spare handset or device used for a particular account or activity.

The mistake is to expect one person, one device and one complete evidence trail.

Accounts may be synchronised across several devices. A message started on one handset may appear on a tablet or laptop. Photographs may upload to a shared cloud account. Calls may be routed through linked devices. Notifications may appear on a watch even though the underlying activity occurred elsewhere.

The reverse is also possible.

Different devices may hold different parts of the evidence. One may contain the account login. Another may contain photographs. A third may show location or communications around the relevant time.

But switching devices, SIMs, accounts or network connections can complicate attribution.

Useful evidence may include device identifiers, trusted-device lists, account login history, cloud records, Bluetooth pairing, Wi-Fi connections, subscription data, purchase records, possession and consistent usage patterns.

The operational takeaway is: expect one person to use several devices. Map the devices, accounts, numbers and relevant time periods, then identify which item created, received or stored each part of the evidence.

What to check or do next¶

• Investigators should build a timeline showing which devices, numbers and accounts were linked during the relevant period.

Evidential limits¶

Using several devices does not by itself suggest concealment or criminality. It is ordinary behaviour for many people.

Do not assume that all devices linked to an account were used by the account holder personally. Some may be shared, old, lost, sold or remotely accessed.