Multiple phone thefts at gigs have 'more than tripled'

Instances of reported 'multiple thefts' at gigs has more than tripled since 2006

The number of reported cases of "multiple thefts" of mobile phones at UK gigs has more than tripled since 2006, according to new figures.

In 2009 there were 181 reports compared to 53 in 2006, with police saying that some thieves had been caught with up to 20 phones.

The National Mobile Phone Crime Unit say organised gangs are stealing high end, expensive mobile phones.

Handsets are then exported abroad and sold on the black market.

'New mutation'

The National Mobile Phone Crime Unit (NMPCU) has called it a "new mutation" of phone offence linked to more serious crime such as drugs.

Speaking to Newsbeat, Detective Chief Inspector Martin Ford said demand in other countries had led to an increase in this area with phones sold at four times their UK price.

"Legitimate traders are not in a position to meet the demands. The black market has stepped in and started to provide for the demand," he said.

Victoria, from north London, had her phone stolen at a gig recently

"It is a very easy way for the thief to make money. The public have to be vigilant because of that."

"In the simplest terms - the word is money. Essentially a lot of these phones are being exported.

"These are countries where the mobile phone business is growing astronomically in a very short period of time."

Many phones end up in eastern Europe and north Africa and police say there was a 50% rise in reported thefts between 2008 and 2009.

Victoria, from London, had her phone stolen at a recent Kelis gig.

"My phone was nicked from my back jeans pocket. You don't even notice it's gone," she said.

"These days, especially with the smart phones you just have everything on there don't you? Your calendar, photos…you do seem to carry your life around."

Soaking up the sun outside a Jay-Z gig, she's now wearing her phone around her neck so she can keep an eye on it at all times.

Expensive handsets

Gangs will pick a specific gig and target fans with high end, more expensive phones and take them from pockets, bags and coats.

Many fans think they've simply lost their phones so won't report their loses.

More than casual pick-pocketing, thieves have been known to disguise themselves (often with the artist's merchandise) in order to blend with the crowd and try to avoid detection.

The police warning deliberately comes in the middle of festival season, where there is a high crowd concentration for thieves to operate in.

"Realistically if you're going to leave that in a tent unguarded and you think a pad lock on the zip is going to deter a thief, it's not going to," said DCI Ford.

Police say they're working with venue owners, concert promoters and artists to increase music fans' awareness that they could be victims.

Latest figures

This type of crime was first detected by police when fans who'd lost their phones began posting on artists' forums.

"It was quite clear that people would experience astronomical amounts of lost phones - which couldn't be the case," explains Ford.

"It was an illogical amount of phones when we started to investigate how many were going from these venues. There were other forces at work."

More than 3,000 people have been a victim of this type of crime, in more than 500 reported separate incidents.

In 2009, according to the NMPCU, gigs by artists including Oasis, The Wombats, The Cribs, Arctic Monkeys and Kasabian were targeted.

At least one arrest was made at each show.

More recently there were 22 reported victims at Pendulum's London Wembley Arena gig in May 2010.