Ecuador: Over 100,000 cellphone thefts reported in three years

In three years, 104,731 cell theft was reported in the country

eluniverso.com reported – Josselina M., 17, went jogging on Monday and took his cell phone Nokia 111, valued at about $ 30, confident that, by its characteristic and its price would not attract the attention of criminals. She was wrong. Two men on a motorcycle intercepted the girl and one of them grabbed her by the neck, he tried to choke her and took the phone. Frightened, Josselina went home and minutes later the police started to indicate that, with the help of a citizen who had seen the robbery and cameras Eagle Eye system, two suspects were arrested. A day earlier, but without violence, Mary I. also stole his cell. The woman told the prosecutor that he was in a shopping center located on the road to the coast and to try to make a call not find the device in the portfolio. According to the Interior Ministry, from January to September 2015 thefts nationwide 31,595 different cell types were reported. Meanwhile, throughout 2014 and 2013 they were stolen 36 962 and 36 174, respectively.

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The figures show also that in cases similar to that suffered Josselina in 2013 20.384 phones were stolen in the country; in 2014, 19,067; and in the first nine months of 2015, 15,701, accounting for 56.35%, 51.59% and 49.69% of robberies, respectively. Carlos R. was another victim of robbery on 20 November. He said that when he was at his home in the north, a subject intercepted him with a revolver and threatened him to steal a Sony Xperia. In the main port, he said the Ministry of Interior, the largest number of phone thefts in the past three years was registered (until September 2015), with 29,125 cases, while Quito came second with 23,070 thefts. Another jurisdiction with a high number of cell harvesting is Manabi, where they took 9,776 devices.

In Guayaquil, said Col. Rodrigo Ocaña, deputy chief of the Police Zone 8, stealing cell occupies 60% of stolen objects. Based on comprehensive geo boxes, the official said October 9 districts (center) and Model (center-north) have greater impact on this type of crime to be areas of intense mobilization of people and have public spaces. “Most (of cell theft) is in the crush of people. To take public transport, as is Metrovía, lines, there use these individuals to commit robberies, “said Ocana.

The deputy said Zone 8 are detained daily eight to ten people for theft of phones in the city.
Like that of Mary I., who did not suffer violence during theft account for 58% of thefts, from 2013 cases. Police investigations also determined that there were stolen cell during robberies on the road, express kidnappings, amid plagiarism or kidnapping, among other cases. The police recommend to take protective action and report cases of theft, because criminals often use the phone to the commission of other crimes. Years is the maximum penalty for those who steal a well using violence, according to art. Integral 189 of Penal Code. Read Article