Staring at our phones while walking around is something we’re all guilty of but don’t think much about. Which turns out to be easy pickings for an opportunistic thief.
A group of teens riding BMX-style bikes are stealing phones in Hartford and it's a trend known as "apple picking," which tends to happen when a new iPhone comes out, police said.
On Wednesday, Hartford police said five cellphones were stolen from people in the downtown area between 4:42 p.m. and 9 p.m.
"What you see is a spike in larcenies and that's people walking down the street having their phones ripped right out of their hands," Hartford's Deputy Police Chief, Brian Foley, said.
Up to 10 teens on bicycles are riding up to people on Main Street and snatching cellphones from their hands, police said, and officers are watching the downtown area and adding to the police presence.
"What we ask is that people be aware of their surroundings and don't have your head buried in your phones as you're walking. Look around, know where you are and be smart," Foley said.
The robbers were wearing gray, black or red hooded sweatshirts and riding BMX-style bikes or mountain bikes.
There were no reported injuries.
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Police said the frequency of the crimes tends to drop once the new phone has been out for awhile.
