Posted on 10/20/2012 8:37:29 PM PDT by Dallas59
SAN FRANCISCO – In this tech-savvy city teeming with commuters and tourists, the cell phone has become a top target of robbers who use stealth, force and sometimes guns.
Nearly half of all robberies in San Francisco this year are cell phone-related, police say, and most occur on bustling transit lines.
One thief recently snatched a smartphone while sitting right behind his unsuspecting victim and darted out the rear of a bus in mere seconds.
Another robber grabbed an iPhone from an oblivious bus rider -- while she was still talking.
And, in nearby Oakland, City Council candidate Dan Kalb was robbed at gunpoint of his iPhone Wednesday after he attended a neighborhood anti-crime meeting.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
I have a hard time visualizing you in high heels.
There’s no place for the foot either
I have been wondering about this sort of thing for a while. I have an early model smartphone, an LG ENV Touch, which doesn't have a replaceable SIM card and is branded to only work with Verizon. In this case, I would think that once reported to Verizon, they could render the phone unusable, if not actually track it down using triangulation (it doesn't have GPS).
On the other hand, with all the new pre-paid services out there, unlocked smartphones with replaceable SIM cards are the norm, and the incredibly high retail price for them (upwards of $600 in some cases), I wonder if it's just a matter of replacing the SIM card, along with some "reprogramming," and the thief has their new smartphone.
I really am not up to date on the technology.
Mark
The stupidist theft of all. In seconds, a smartphone can be immobilized. ANd with many, especially iPhones, in seconds it can be located, and it’s thieves arrested.
How about a self destruct charge of PETN
Push a button
Destroys phonae and the scumbag who stole it......
How about a feature that with a push of a button remotely raises the phone volume to maximum, puts on the speaker phone, sounds a siren and howls “This scumbag stole me— This scumbag stole me” and repeats until the battery is removed (with a key!).
My phone is so old no one would want it. Battery is fully charged as I very seldom have it on.
I use a Samsung Rugby phone. It is made to mil-specs, waterproof, shock resistant, and ugly as sin. Nobody would want to steal it.
If you steal my iphone, I can easily find it by using the “Find my iphone” app, leading me & police to the thief.
So, why would you steal something so easily tracked?
Anyone who grabs my cellphone will also receive a free .380 bullet from the gun I always carry in my other pocket.
Providing the police will actually do something about it. I had my phone stolen, activated the app, found the phone, called the police and told them who had the phone and where. “Sorry Ma’am. You’ll have to take that up with Verizon. Nothing we can do.”
Called Verizon. “You’ll have to contact the police.”
I had the phone deactivated and put on the “stolen” list.
Checked a few days later. Not on the list. Put it on again. All told, I had it put on the stolen list four times before giving up and moving on.
THAT’S why people steal these phones.
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