Large mobilephone heist at Rotorua

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scheduler

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#143315 10-Apr-2014 12:01

Hi

I just thought I would share this article from the Rotorua Daily Post as a warning.

"Rotorua Police a warning people to be suspicious if they are offered a cheap smartphone after a large phone heist in the city .

Thieves stole smart phones from Smiths City in the Te Ngae shopping centre on Tuesday night and $20,000 of phones were taken said Rotorua police sergeant Colin Peers. The thieves broke in through the back door.

The Tactical crime manager said phones stolen included Samsung S3, Samsung SA4, Samsung S3 mini, Huawei, Samsung Y and I phone 5S. nothing else was taken.

He asked the public to be on the alert."

Rotorua Police can be contacted on 07 348 1199

johnr

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#1022738 10-Apr-2014 12:02

and they will all be blacklisted

sbiddle

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#1022753 10-Apr-2014 12:18

Clearly criminals up there are pretty dumb if they're stealing phones.

freitasm

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Geekzone

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#1022763 10-Apr-2014 12:21

Lucky now we have a TCF tool that allows you to check IMEIs before buying...

ubergeeknz

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Vocus

#1022764 10-Apr-2014 12:23

They might be smart enough to take them overseas to sell them.

Sidestep

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#1022774 10-Apr-2014 12:27

ubergeeknz: They might be smart enough to take them overseas to sell them.

They're sitting around down by the skate park trying to put their sims in a couple of them. The rest they swapped for tinnies at a nearby drug house..

freitasm

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#1022775 10-Apr-2014 12:27

Taking large volumes out of a country with no dry borders is not as easy...

surfisup1000

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#1022787 10-Apr-2014 12:37

freitasm: Taking large volumes out of a country with no dry borders is not as easy...

ebay!

not sure it is so tough as it used to be.

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Shop now on Samsung phones, tablets, TVs and more (affiliate link).

thecatsgoolies

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#1022799 10-Apr-2014 12:46

Pure stupidity.

BlueShift

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#1022829 10-Apr-2014 13:16

Its not really a large heist though, is it - I mean $20,000 sounds like a lot of phones, but since they retail at $800-$1100 each, that's only about 30 phones...
When I read 'large heist' I picture a pallet-load, not a gym-bag.

networkn

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#1022842 10-Apr-2014 13:34

johnr: and they will all be blacklisted

Damnit! I was really looking forward to a new S5 :)

Lias

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#1022848 10-Apr-2014 13:40

BlueShift: Its not really a large heist though, is it - I mean $20,000 sounds like a lot of phones, but since they retail at $800-$1100 each, that's only about 30 phones...
When I read 'large heist' I picture a pallet-load, not a gym-bag.

I was thinking bigger than a pallet, I was thinking a shipping container or a B-Train or something.

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alasta

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#1022901 10-Apr-2014 14:40

I would think that plenty of people would be gullible enough to buy one of these things without realising they've been blacklisted. The theives just need to flog them off quickly and then do a very good disappearing act.

old3eyes

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#1022955 10-Apr-2014 15:47

I wonder if anyone has a list of IMEI of these fones when they were shipped to the retailer??

Regards,

Old3eyes

kiwitrc

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#1023002 10-Apr-2014 16:45

BlueShift: Its not really a large heist though, is it - I mean $20,000 sounds like a lot of phones, but since they retail at $800-$1100 each, that's only about 30 phones...
When I read 'large heist' I picture a pallet-load, not a gym-bag.

There was a time when 30 phones was a pallet :)