Date:25/11/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/11/25/stories/2004112515380500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Pickpockets eye mobile phones

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD, NOV. 24. It's easy to pinch a phone than pick a pocket.

The light-fingered gentry in Hyderabad seem to be convinced about this and have been striking at will relieving people of their mobile phones.

On Monday, three persons buying vegetables at Mahbub Mansion and Gudimalkapur markets became victims of mobile phone thieves, who have so far managed to remain elusive.

G.V.S. Ramaraju of Dilsukhnagar lost his mobile when someone flicked it from his shirt pocket at the market. At the same place, a grocery storeowner, P. Suresh Kumar, was also relieved of his mobile phone. At Gudimalkapur market, Mohd. Kaleem too lost his mobile. Interestingly, all these incidents occurred between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m.

Modus operandi

Incidents of mobile phone thefts have been on the rise in the twin cities of late. And criminal ingenuity is best showcased in the recent incidents. There is this youngster who mails job aspirants with the promise of providing employment. He then engages them in some conversation when his accomplice calls up the victim. The trickster then coolly collects the mobile phone and in the guise of having a private conversation walk off with the handset.

Then there is this gang targeting mobiles. They stop their motorbikes next to cars at a traffic junction, grab the phone usually kept on the dashboard and speed away. The latest method appears to be employing children who keep a close watch on people buying vegetables, steal their mobile phones and make a dash for it.

Police officers feel the easy process wherein a SIM card can be removed from the mobile phones before selling the handsets, could be motivating pickpockets to target people carrying mobile phones in markets and other crowded places.