Cell phone robberies an epidemic in Boston
Monday, December 22, 2008 at 1:25PM 
(Boston, Mass.)--Teens like to chat and text while sauntering through malls and parking lots, and robbers are taking advantage. The Boston Herald says “violent cell phone thefts” are an epidemic, and the popular Sidekick phone is a prime target. Police said it’s dangerous for a young kid to carry a cell phone in the city of Boston. In an 11-month period this year, 300 Sidekicks were ripped from their owners.
The Sidekick acquired dubious fame in 2005 when a hacker gained access to Paris Hilton’s phone. Celebs like Victoria Gotti received record numbers of unwanted calls. Information stored on Hilton’s phone reportedly showed up on numerous Internet sites. Even Hilton’s private notes and travel info were stored on the phone.
In early December, a California man received a 27-years-to-life sentence after he robbed a victim of her cell phone outside her home and he ran from police. The sentence was hefty because it fell under the “three strikes” felony law.
Authorities in Boston are working on tracking down stolen phones. The ScamBusters website has tips for preventing cell phone theft. The site says consumers should be aware they’re responsible for any calls made on the phone until the theft is reported. ScamBusters reminds users to be sure to set a secure password and to refrain from making your password the same as your password hint.
As shoppers descend on stores in the final days before Christmas, Boston authorities are targeting electronic pawn shops in an effort to crack down on the secondary sale industry that sometimes doesn’t get required documentation from people pawning phones. And there’s irony in the theft epidemic. Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley told The Herald, “Many of the victims are the very same kids we’re trying to divert from criminal activity.”
Reader Comments (2)
What's really sad is in the Boston article:
“That phone was my lifeline,” she said. “I was heartbroken. It seemed like a part of me was gone.”
What? :)
BL, it's amazing how teens rely on their phones, and the attachment that's formed. Watch a teen text someone and it's like watching someone play a piano. best, Kay Day