p2pnet - rss feed: iPods encourage crime
p2p news / p2pnet:- In April, the New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority warned people to watch out for muggers bent on acquiring the latest portable media systems – your portable media system.
‘Earphones are a giveaway,’ said one announcement. ‘Protect your device’.” And what could be more distinctive than the easily distinguishable white iPod buds?
Now it’s Britain’s turn.
“Figures to be released by the Home Office later this month are expected to reveal that muggings rose by almost 40% in some parts of the country last year,” says the Sunday Times.
“In London the number of robberies increased for the first time in three years, reversing a steep downward trend.”
Police are blaming a sharp rise in the number of street robberies on the increasing popularity of portable music players, including iPods, and “the new generation of internet-connected mobile phones”.
London police recorded almost 1,500 more robberies over the period April to June and, “Separate figures from the Metropolitan police show that muggings and snatch thefts of iPods have increased more than fivefold since last November,” states the Sunday Times.
“Ten incidents of this kind were reported in that month, followed by 35 in April and 52 in May. The number of iPods reported stolen from cars and homes also increased from 178 in November 2004 to 395 in May this year.”
Metropolitan police commissioner Sir Ian Blair said earlier this year, “In street robbery, our concern has been around the smaller portable pieces of kit - the new generation of mobile phones and iPods. It is very obvious when someone is wearing an iPod. That is what is fuelling this.”
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See:-
watch out for muggers - iPod thefts and subway crime, April 18, 2005
Sunday Times - Street robbery soars as iPod users targeted, October 9, 2005
October 16th, 2005 at 3:05 pm
that is why i have not got one