Police say that recent arrests and search warrants executed in Auckland central city have given them an insight into the movement of stolen property used in exchange for drugs and cash.
Around 30 - 50 per cent of all theft offences in the central city relate to smartphones. A common
trend is for opportunistic thieves to steal property from people who are otherwise distracted in public places. This may include grabbing a handbag from under a café table or taking a cell phone out of a pocket when a jacket has been left unattended.
Some thieves are approaching people in the street to sell stolen smartphones, generally for fairly small amounts of money. Otherwise these items are taken to receivers and exchanged for drugs or cash.
"Police are concerned that so many thefts are the result of lack of care for expensive items," Auckland City Central Area Commander Inspector Andrew Coster says.
"It is also worrying that there are many people prepared to pay cash for obviously cheap items that are most likely stolen.
