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Man Steals iPhone 4 From Undercover Cop On Subway
By
Jen Chung
Published Apr 30, 2011
Modified Apr 30, 2011
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By
Jen Chung
Published Apr 30, 2011
Modified Apr 30, 2011
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Just a week after the NYPD announced that iPhones—especially the iPhone 4—are targets for subway thefts, the cops announce that they arrested a man for stealing an iPhone 4 on a 4 train. And the iPhone 4's owner turned out to be an undercover cop. Kasseim Thomas, 47, was busted in the Bronx, but cops started noticing him when he was getting on and off a train at 59th Street and Lexington—Lt. Kevin Callaghan said, "That raised our suspicion level. That's how pickpockets work on the trains."
A group of cops were on the Lexington Avenue line to look for pickpockets accused of previous crimes. According to WCBS 2, "Callaghan said Thomas “began to crowd the plainclothes officer” and had a sweatshirt over his hand as he reached into the cop’s backpack and removed the iPhone." Thomas has dozens of arrests for grand larceny and Callaghan said, "He a habitual offender, who just does his jail time, comes back out and regresses right back to the stuff he knows."
Callaghan added, "People are very engrossed in using their iPhone or BlackBerry. They don’t seem to think it’s a problem. People just have to be cognizant of who’s around them and that these valuables are attractive to criminals." Also, just don't let strangers hold your precious gadgets when they ask you to, okay?
Tagged
career criminal
iphone 4
iphone theft
kasseim thomas
subway
theft
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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