Mobile Phone Thieves - Warning

[KL SNA 10]

All

 

Be aware mobile phone thieves are targeting cafes and bars during the day time this week in the city centre and as far down as London Road and up to Broomhill now.

 

We have seen an increase this last week particularly since the students have returned to Sheffield.

 

Thieves are distracting customers with leaflets and menus in order to steal mobile phones from tables. Please phones safe and out of obvious view.

 

Anyone looking/acting suspicious or who doesn't seem right with leaflets or menus, ring 999 so we can get officers there as soon as possible. The thieves will visit different premises and may have a number of stolen phones with them.

 

Likewise on a weekend, a high number are being stolen from clubs and pubs in the city centre - in some places on West Street you have a 1 in 4 chance of having it stolen!

 

There are free GPS tracking apps for iphones and smartphones that you can download as well as register it for free on immobilise.com

 

We have officers working in plain clothes during the day and weekend nights as part of a policing operation.

 

Many thanks

 

Inspector Darren Starkey

[mobo1980 10]

My friend had hers stolen while feeding her child in a coffee shop in town using the leaflet method above .

[Itrytoplease 10]

Inspector Darren Starkey has taken the time and trouble to write or have this written and posted on here as a warning to be aware, and not be be criticised over policing policy.

I personally thank him for his initiative.

[Clown Shoes 10]

My mum got hers stolen in the hospital with someone putting a leaflet over her phone asking for donations for charity then picked her phone up with the leaflet & walked off. Eastern European's i might add.

 

I leave my laying around so i can break someones hand. Keep them from doing it for a few weeks.

[Paddy 10]

Please keep your phone in your pocket and not out on the table for all to see!

[alternageek 10]

Mod Note:

 

Lets not criticise the police. They are doing community outreach and if they hadn't posted anything, the forum would be complaining that they werent notifying the public.

 

Please keep it civil.

 

Thanks.

[KL SNA 10]

Hi

 

The stats are based upon the number of crimes recorded per 1000 people in certain places where we have had high numbers of mobile phone thefts e.g. 250 per 1000. That gives the risk of becoming a victim of this type of theft.

 

Main issue is I want to warn people to be on their guard against the thieves and to report anyone that may be involved etc as we have seen increases this last week compared to previous weeks.

 

Thanks

 

Inspector Darren Starkey

[lindy3 10]

Hi

 

The stats are based upon the number of crimes recorded per 1000 people in certain places where we have had high numbers of mobile phone thefts e.g. 250 per 1000. That gives the risk of becoming a victim of this type of theft.

 

Main issue is I want to warn people to be on their guard against the thieves and to report anyone that may be involved etc as we have seen increases this last week compared to previous weeks.

 

Thanks

 

Inspector Darren Starkey

 

thankyou for the warning x

[chipspice 10]

All

 

Be aware mobile phone thieves are targeting cafes and bars during the day time this week in the city centre and as far down as London Road and up to Broomhill now.

 

We have seen an increase this last week particularly since the students have returned to Sheffield.

 

Thieves are distracting customers with leaflets and menus in order to steal mobile phones from tables. Please phones safe and out of obvious view.

 

Anyone looking/acting suspicious or who doesn't seem right with leaflets or menus, ring 999 so we can get officers there as soon as possible. The thieves will visit different premises and may have a number of stolen phones with them.

 

Likewise on a weekend, a high number are being stolen from clubs and pubs in the city centre - in some places on West Street you have a 1 in 4 chance of having it stolen!

 

There are free GPS tracking apps for iphones and smartphones that you can download as well as register it for free on immobilise.com

 

We have officers working in plain clothes during the day and weekend nights as part of a policing operation.

 

Many thanks

 

Inspector Darren Starkey

 

thank you for the warning i will pass on the warning to my friends too

[steroc 10]

A 1/4 chance of having a phone stolen means that of every 4 people who walk in, only 3 should walk back out still in possession of their phone. It DOES mean that 1 in 4 phones are stolen (in that venue over that time period).

 

The way I see it, the inclusion of the word chance means it is possible but not expected. If somebody walks in with the sole intensional of swiping people's phones they will likely try for a few on one visit so seems plausible. A lot of the bars are fairly empty during the day so 1 in 4 isn't a great amount in that instance. Obviously 1 in 4 on a busy Saturday night (which is the picture some seem to have in their head) is very unlikely and ridiculous.

[ormester101 10]

my wife had hers nicked in costa coffee in town using a big issue in her face and sneaking the phone away .

[piggipower 10]

My mum got hers stolen in the hospital with someone putting a leaflet over her phone asking for donations for charity then picked her phone up with the leaflet & walked off. Eastern European's i might add.

 

I leave my laying around so i can break someones hand. Keep them from doing it for a few weeks.

 

i cant belive eastern european's would do such a thing .... or maybe i can .