I've never been mugged (knocking on wood), but, yeah, the loss of trust doesn't surprise me.  Muggings are pretty common in this part of the DC area, and we do have people breaking into cars at my apartment complex pretty frequently, looking for iPods and stereos to sell.  (There's a crack den a few blocks away, apparently, so that would explain the break-ins for valuable items.)  But the best thing to do is to stay calm, do as they tell you, and hope for the best.  At the end of the day, you're worth more than a phone, so you nailed it.

If you've got friends there nearby, it might be a very good idea to travel in a group, or perhaps call for a ride, if you're going to be out late, though.  If you get word that muggings are pretty there, you might want to speak with the police about getting more frequent patrolling in the area, too.  I'm not sure how much good it'll do, since, in my case, the cops are usually concerned with preventing violent crime on the other side of the river, but it can't hurt.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.