Victim of smartphone theft finds his handset advertised on Craig's List; all ends well

A smartphone owner flirted with disaster, but ended up getting his stolen handset back while helping the cops nab the thief. This unnamed person was shopping at Walmart when he left his handset on top of a drink cooler. Along came teenager India Carmouche, who saw an opportunity to turn a quick profit. She grabbed the phone and left the store.

Where could an enterprising young thief go to cash in on a stolen smartphone? Carmouche figured that Craig's List would be the perfect place to find a buyer for the handset. So, she put up a listing for the phone. Meanwhile, the victim needed to buy a new smartphone to replace the unit that was stolen. So he figured that the place to find a great deal on a replacement phone was Craig's List. While looking for a deal on the site, he came across his stolen phone. You can figure out what happened next. The cops became involved, a buy was set up, India Carmouche was arrested, and the victim had his phone returned to him.


According to data from Lookout Mountain Security, in 2013 (the most recent year data was provided for), the number of stolen handsets doubled year-over-year to 3.1 million units. Even though you can pretty much lock down a stolen phone these days, who wants to shop (or pay) for a replacement? With the holiday shopping season coming up, make sure you know where you handset is at all times. Don't put your phone down on a counter or any other place where it can be quickly grabbed. And remember, the malls will be full of pickpockets at this time of the year. Use your common sense when it comes to your device, and you won't end up having to search for a replacement on Craig's List.

source: AndroidAuthority