Smartphone Mugging More Popular Than Ever

SternisheFan writes with this snippet from gizmodo: "The Associated Press reports that smartphone robberies now account for nearly half of all robberies in San Francisco, as well as an impressive 40 percent here in New York City. And the numbers aren't just high, they're getting higher fast. In Los Angeles, smartphone robberies are up 27 percent from last year, with no signs of slowing down. The thefts come in all varieties as well. Victims have reported having their phones—iPhones in particular (surprise!)—yanked out of their hands while talking, snatched just as public transit reaches a stop, or even taken at gunpoint." When I was relieved at gunpoint of my (very, very dumb) phone a few years ago in Philadelphia (very, very dumb), it made for a lousy evening. Have you been robbed (or accosted) like this? If so, where?

Comments

Serial Numbers

[Archeopteryx]

All of these phones know their serial numbers. Just make it totally impossible to ever register a stolen serial number for new service and this should slow way down.

Re:Serial Numbers

[icebike]

IMEI blacklists are widely used in Europe. The problem is that, at least in Norway, few people actually bother to have the IMEI blacklisted if the phone is stolen.

In the US the vast majority of phones are purchased thru carriers. They already have your IMEI on file.

The FCC has finally gotten the four big carriers to start blocking IMEI numbers of stolen phones. You simply go back to your carrier and tell them you need a new phone because your old one was stolen. They will automatically add the stolen phone to t a nation wide database of stolen phones. It takes no effort on the users part.

While new IMEIs can be programmed into stolen handsets, the thieves don't have the skills to do this, (if they did they would be in a safer more profitable line of work). They just use the stolen phone till it dies and then steal a new one. I suppose some thieves work for rings exporting their wares to foreign countries.

Re:Serial Numbers

[Anonymous Coward]

In Australia all the carriers refer to a single database of stolen phones (via IMEI number), and smartphone theft (mugging style) is almost non-existant here.

Re:Serial Numbers

[EdIII]

Yes, but what is that duration? 20 minutes?

When my phone was stolen in a diner after walking way from it for maybe two minutes before walking back for it, I had it shut down within 10-15 minutes from another phone.

Even assuming there is a network where a standing order is made to purchase a stolen phone for use, there would still be time required for the logistics of shipping and fulfillment. I just can't see with how important and well used smart phone are, that the window for usage by drug dealers or other criminals would be large enough to be economically viable for all involved.

Re:Serial Numbers

[ShanghaiBill]

They can just be sold in another country.

Or they can be sold in San Jose, California, where it is legal to steal phones. My wife's iPhone was stolen, and when she called the SJPD, she was told that "We don't do cell phone thefts, just download the insurance form from our website. <click>"

Re:Serial Numbers

[Anonymous Coward]

These are smartphones though. I don't think it's been possible to change the IMEI of an iDevice since the original Edge iPhone. Even then the program used (ziPhone) could fail spectacularly and brick the device. No experience with Android devices here so I cannot comment on the feasibility of reprogramming those IMEIs. It's basically impossible on iDevices though unless the thieves have access to exploits and tools that the jailbreak community do not.

Capcha: mugging

Re:Serial Numbers

[Anonymous Coward]

Serial No. You mean IMEI? Imei can be changed. MAC address? MAC address can be changed. SIM Lock? SIM lock can be unlock.

If you just search less than 15 minutes. You can find a horde of tools available at your disposal. They even have tools that can changed the active frequency of your baseband-RF processor so it operate in the frequency of your choice. I saw a SIM card that when you put onto locked phone. This is automatically unlock it for you. They sell this SIM card for about US$ 5 for 10 times running (before the program self destruct on the SIM card).

This can be seen "clearly" in my country. Where they still sell Blackberry 8310 as a new phone. This is the phone that counterfeited in china. And they came with a tools where you can change all of the above. The store that sell it even make a promise that the BB PIN code wouldn't be blocked by BB server at RIM office (or you can get full refund if they can't make it unblock).

Especially if you able to get into China phone BBS. They even teach you a lot of stuff that supposed to be done in the phone factories only. (Even unbricking a bricked phone using JTAG connection). They trade the latest firmware, schematics, tool, tips there.

So blocking Serial No. is easy to circumvent.

Re:Serial Numbers

[buchanmilne]

In South Africa, if you claim for a stolen phone, the insurance company will request the IMEI as part of their claim processing, and they will have the IMEI blacklisted on a database shared by all the local mobile operators.

Re:Serial Numbers

[Anonymous Coward]

While new IMEIs can be programmed into stolen handsets, the thieves don't have the skills to do this,

Ok, you seem to have little experience of how organised criminals really are. It is true, your average pickpocket/thief doesn't have the skills, but he'll know a man who does...

The current cost of the basic iphone 5 off the UK apple store is £529
Now, say, for example I'm a 'legitimate businessman' running a mobile phone repair shop and have the technical knowledge and capabilities of reprogramming the IMEI number of said stolen device to, say, that of another phone I've gotten as a trade-in. I know some of the more 'boisterous' youths nearby and say casually that I'll give them £300 for every iphone 5 (or whatever the current poseur phone of choice is) they get me, no questions asked. I reprogram them with 'legitimate' IMEI numbers from my supply of trade-in phones (which is a crime in the UK, but hey...), sell it for £450, they get monies, I get monies, customer gets a phone at what they think is a bargain price...

This is how it operates, the thieves steal these items and then pass them on up the chain to those who do have the technical capabilities to deal with them. I've been a victim of card theft, it was explained to me how well organised the system was there (person stealing the card wouldn't have been the one to use it, but might get up to a couple of hundred quid depending on card type by selling it to handler/specialist, who then organises the purchases to be made using the card in such a manner as they get the maximum usage out of it before it is blacklisted.).

Fagin may be a fictional character, but the criminal structures/fraternities Dickens wrote about still exist in merrie old London..especially 'sarth of the river'.

Re:Serial Numbers

[Kookus]

You know you can take a black-listed phone into verizon stores and they'll give you a refurb?
The story of: "I bought it on craigslist and it won't register" works wonders.

I was amazed that even worked, and pissed off at the same time. My phone was stolen out of my office, and I figured blacklisting it would bring me vengeance... wrong.

My wife's nook was stolen at the same time. She blacklisted it. Then had a book purchased on her account 6 hours later... She called in again and said wtf? They told her that whoever blacklisted it for her didn't do it (hard to find competent people).

So that gives another reason to think that blacklisting doesn't work, because the damn idiots don't punch it into their computers.

I also got a buddy at work who's from China. He has family back in China that actively engage in acquiring broken electronics. iPhones are great. Blacklisted, broken, who cares? They strip the things down and make their own refurbs good as new and resell them.

So yeah, unless Police actually crack down on this, then the only other way to curb this activity is if the phone physically blows up and kills/maims the people stealing them while people cheer on the spectacle.

Re:BEWARE !! THE SMARTPHONE BANDIT STRIKES AT WILL

[notdotcom.com]

I had somebody ask me to use my smartphone at a light rail station in a reasonably nice part of Denver (at 11pm). I politely refused, but I couldn't help but wonder if this person was out to 1) just make a call, which was obviously not an emergency, 2) call some sort of pay-per-call or txt number that would put $20 on my phone bill and the person would get a commission, or 3) just start running, or pull out a weapon, and steal my phone.

Is this a common tactic for stealing phones?

I couldn't help but wonder if I should have let the person use it (I'm about 6'5, 265lbs, with a 36 inch waist, I exercise, etc - so it's not like I was picked out as being the "easy target")

In the end, I concluded that I was right to refuse a stranger access to my $700 "pocket computer" which contains all of my personal information, and costs about a hundred bucks a month to keep services to, in addition to the cost of the device.

Re:Bricked by Company?

[Mr. Freeman]

This has been brought up before. In Europe it's common to do this and theft rates are down. Thieves don't bother stealing them because the phone will be worthless within a couple hours. In the USA however, carriers have realized that theft makes them money. Victims have to buy a new phone to replace the stolen one. Carriers have a financial disincentive to brick stolen phones or assist victims in any way. Hopefully the government will make the choice for the carriers and force them to brick stolen phones in order to curb the growing crime. It's an easy way for any politician to reduce crime and win points for reelection.

Re:Never had that experience...

[fred911]

Not so in South America. I've had my n95, n900 and a number of Androids liberated from my person. It's just recently they "say" they're going to enforce a stolen IEMI database, but monthly untold hundreds of people get hurt over smartphone strong arm theft and some killed. An N900 looks mighty shiny in Bogota.

We need better solutions

[Animats]

A device that 1) has a data link to the outside world, 2) has a GPS receiver, and 3) has a microphone ought to be far riskier to steal. Something is not right here.

You should be able to log into your phone account from another device and retrieve the location of the phone, Maybe listen in and record calls from your phone, too.

False IMEI reports not a big problem

[Firethorn]

I doubt that happens very much at all, to the point that it'd probably be a major news item if it happens.

Why?
1. IMEI numbers are currently hard to guess. They're not simple
2. No gain on the part of a seller to block a phone they just sold - indeed, odds are that the buyer can track them down to demand a refund for a *STOLEN PHONE*
3. It takes work; Most people aren't that nasty
4. If they can get that close to the phone, they might as well steal it
5. Most people wouldn't think to do it. Even divorcing couples.

Especially your specifying 'second-hand' phones. Unless it's stolen I doubt the seller is going to care; wish you luck with your new(to you) phone.

Kill them

[sycodon]

I wonder how long it would last if the muggers started ending up dead. San Fran is a "gun free" zone. So the perps know their victims are probably not packing.

Sure, it's just a cell phone and not worth taking someone's life. But that's not the issue. The issue is that the scum trying to take it from you definitely thinks a cell phone is worth taking YOUR life.