Gardaí are undertaking a specialist operation against iPhone robbery in Dublin, as they say it has become the city’s fastest-growing crime.
The Irish Independent reports that Gardaí are focusing on thieves on bicycles who steal iPhones from people’s hands as they cycle past them.
The thieves follow the phone’s owner for a few minutes to make sure they are carrying an iPhone before making a move. Women, in particular, are being targeted.
The stolen iPhones are then sold for €100 to €150 to small shops which specialise in unlocking and repairing these devices. All data is wiped from the devices, making them impossible to trace back to the original owner.
Gardaí said they will patrol the worst-hit areas more heavily as a result of these crimes, such as the IFSC in Dublin.
