Why do spies often destroy a SIM card in the film before throwing away the phone?

This is one of the questions that has attracted a lot of attention and comments on the Quora Q&A page. But the answer is only one and it is contrary to the expectations of most people.

Spies often crack their SIMs before destroying them, simply because that's just a plot of a movie and it's often added to dramatically increase the story.

But, the problem is that they are so small that they can be easily hidden, thrown away or discarded.

Why do spies often destroy a SIM card in the film before throwing away the phone? Picture 1

The SIM is too small to crack it to destroy.

Imagine someone folding a plastic wrap and dropping it secretly on the ground. For example, sprinkle it on the grass, throw it in the trash or throw it out from the car window while it is raining. Unless someone is walking nearby and watching their hands attentively, you'll never notice and can't find it.

In addition, with embedded SIM technology such as eSIMs being increasingly popular, spies should probably think of a new way to destroy the SIM if you want to remove all traces on your phone.

But it must be admitted that there are many dramatic feelings when witnessing a scene of a meticulous spy removing the battery from the phone, smashing the phone, then destroying the SIM card.

Why do spies often destroy a SIM card in the film before throwing away the phone? Picture 2

This reason is also explained for another unusual feature in spy movies, which is the scene where snipers often assemble rifles or pull the pistol lever before firing. All of these are actions aimed at adding drama and effects to the film, not often done in reality.