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Boston police warn of rash of late-night cellphone thefts
People have been targeted after leaving bars and nightclubs.
Boston police posted a community alert Friday warning of a recent “series” of cellphone thefts.
Police said the phones have been stolen from people leaving bars and nightclubs in Downtown, Back Bay, Fenway, and the Seaport, mostly between 11:30 p.m. and 2 a.m.
They said the cellphones are then being used to commit financial crimes. Here are the details from police:
Current tactics utilized by [suspects] have included – stealing phones during or after ride shares, offering unsolicited rides, and utilizing physical or verbal threats or violence against victims. In previous cases, suspects pickpocketed victims, “shoulder surfed” to observe and steal passcodes, asked to borrow phones to make a call or to exchange contact or social media info, or offered to take photos or videos for victims.
Once in possession of the phone, suspects have accessed sensitive information and made unauthorized transactions using financial apps. Targets have included Apple ID accounts, Apple Pay, Venmo, Cash App, PayPal, cryptocurrency wallets, and sports betting apps like DraftKings. In several cases, credit and debit cards have also been used fraudulently.
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