Thieves target smartphone users as shops pay €100 per device

STREET thefts of iPhones and other smartphones are on the rise and criminals are getting up to €100 in cash for them from mobile phone shops.

These shops are then wiping the phones — making it difficult for gardaí to link them to their owners — and selling them on.

While the shops are not acting illegally, gardaí have spoken to owners and informed them of what is happening.

Details of the rising crime were revealed to the Dublin central joint policing committee yesterday.

“There has been an increase in the theft of high-end mobile phones from the person this year,” said Superintendent Frank Clerkin, of Store Street Garda station, which covers much of Dublin’s north inner city. “The criminals go to mobile phone shops and get €50 or €100 cash for the phone.”

He said gardaí have identified 12 such shops on the northside of Dublin.

He pointed out that these shops provide legitimate services such as fixing and unblocking mobile phones, as well as selling phones and accessories.

“Unfortunately, they also provide services such as wiping a phone, which clears all content and personal details from a phone,” said Supt Clerkin. “It is much more difficult to find a stolen phone then.”

He said the only identifying information typically, but not always, left, is the international mobile equipment identity, a unique 15-17-digit code which identifies a specific mobile phone on a network.

Supt Clerkin said gardaí are engaged in a joint operation with Customs officials targeting these shops.

“We have a number of joint operations with Customs looking at these shops to make sure they are fully compliant with Revenue and with all aspects of company law.”

He said they were conducting “a number of lines of inquiry”, but declined to go into any specifics for operational reasons.

Supt Clerkin said it was not illegal to wipe a phone clean and that phones are taken in “simple snatches” on the street while people are using them.

“My message to people out there on the street using these phones: be aware of your surroundings, be aware that you have €300-€400 worth of high-end piece of equipment in your hand and you are using it.

“They are taken in simple snatches, from people walking down the street doing some business and totally unawares and an opportunistic thief comes along, grabs it and runs off.”