Tips from MPD 1D Commander Hickson on preventing smartphone robberies

First District Commander Hickson shared the following tips to help prevent smart phone robberies:

In an effort to make the community aware of current trends, we are posting the below three tactics being used by individuals attempting to snatch smart phones.

 

·         Suspect approaches a potential victim and ask for the time, when the victim pulls out their phone to tell the suspect the time, the phone is snatched from the complainant’s hand.
·         Suspect will approach a potential victim and ask for directions to a particular location out of the immediate area. When the victim take out their phone and look the location up for the suspect, the perpetrator will ask to see the map on the phone at which time they snatch the phone and flee.
·          Suspect will approach a potential victim and ask to use their phone to call home, usually say they need to call their parents. When the victim complies with the request, the suspect runs off with the victim’s phone.

 

This is obviously not a complete list of tactics, but they are some of the trends we have noted in the last few months. Please remember to call 911 whenever you observe any suspicious activity or suspicious persons.

 

Commander Daniel P. Hickson

First District