Most cell phone thefts occur on transit (Atlanta: crime, neighborhood)

[ATLTJL]

At least in San Francisco. At least according to this article.

I know it's not Atlanta related (unless you count that we have MARTA, and I bet cell phone theft there mirrors it on BART).

Sorry, I know this is probably also a bit of a troll post. I'm not trying to say mass transit is dangerous, just that clearly it isn't completely safe as some people will say. Here come all the "I've been riding for 20 years every day and never had a problem" responses.

But the statistics tell a different tale.

Gwinnett Daily Post | Thefts of cell phones rise rapidly nationwide

[jsvh]

"I've been riding for 20 years every day and never had a problem"

[cqholt]

Don't have your phone in a lose grip while standing close to the doors. If you must be glued to your phone, don't stand close to the doors.

[ATLTJL]

I would agree with that, but this article says that phones are being stolen right out of people's hands as they are talking on them. That's pretty brazen, isn't it?

I wonder if that is really common or just the isolated instance that makes a more interesting headline.

[cqholt]

I would agree with that, but this article says that phones are being stolen right out of people's hands as they are talking on them. That's pretty brazen, isn't it?

I wonder if that is really common or just the isolated instance that makes a more interesting headline.

Damn right it is!

[arjay57]

I've heard the MARTA police warn about this several times. If you are standing near the door, or if you are zoned out listening to your headphones, there are snatch and grab thieves who might yank the phone out of your hand and run.

That, and car break-ins in parking lots, are by far the biggest crime issues with MARTA.

There's very little crime against the person, which is hardly surprising since the stations are secure and under police patrol and video surveillance.

[ATLTJL]

I'm actually pretty amazed that cell phone theft is so big considering how rapid the depreciation is on them and the fact that pretty much everybody already has one anyway.

I remember when I got a smart phone. My friends had been bugging me for a while, and one night at the McDonalds drive thru at 2am I saw all the employees playing on their iPhones and felt pretty bad that McDonald's overnight workers had iPhones and I didn't.

Needless to say, I've since realized that basing financial decisions on what a bunch of McDonalds employees are doing isn't wise.

[Onthemove2014]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

I'm actually pretty amazed that cell phone theft is so big considering how rapid the depreciation is on them and the fact that pretty much everybody already has one anyway.

I remember when I got a smart phone. My friends had been bugging me for a while, and one night at the McDonalds drive thru at 2am I saw all the employees playing on their iPhones and felt pretty bad that McDonald's overnight workers had iPhones and I didn't.

Needless to say, I've since realized that basing financial decisions on what a bunch of McDonalds employees are doing isn't wise.

Not only that,but arrogant as hell.

[ja1myn]

As long as you're not an idiot being flashy on the train, you really shouldn't have an issue.

[testa50]

I wish the MARTA police would make the stats more widely available. I think I read once that this happened in the neighborhood of one or two dozen times in 2011 on MARTA. Seldom enough that I decided not to worry about it very much. But if someone knows the exact statistics please do tell--maybe I'm off base here. I would imagine the chunk of property crime in Atlanta this constitutes is minuscule.