‘Be mindful': Toronto police warn of organized thieves ahead of Pride weekend
Chief Supt. Mandeep Mann told reporters on Thursday that 300 cell phones had been reported stolen—a major uptick from previous festivals—and that's a sign that thieves will see this weekend as another opportunity.
'We know that individuals are going to be out there looking to take advantage—I will be surprised if they don't,' Mann said as he addressed some of the security measures the service will be taking as one of the largest Pride festivals in the world gets underway.
'We're asking people to keep things tight, close to their body, in bags in front of them, in pockets, and just be aware and be mindful,' he said.
Something similar happened to Mihael Adler when he and his family were visiting Mel Lastman Square for an Asian Heritage Month celebration in May.
A relative put the new iPhone 16 down, and within moments, it was gone, Adler said. He followed its location to a few apartment buildings in North York, and then the phone showed up in a location he never expected.
'About four days ago, it pinged that it was in Vietnam,' he said.
The international trade in phones is one way to escape phone blacklists and the remote locks and resets customers using Apple's iOS and Google's Android phones can put on them, said digital security expert Claudiu Popa.
'A lot of phones that would not function here in North America will function just fine on a different continent,' he said.
Most times, thieves will try to take a phone while it's unlocked, because that means they can access the apps that can sometimes lead to an even bigger take.
A Fox TV station in Minneapolis showed how thieves used banking apps on stolen phones to drain hundreds of thousands of dollars from their victims.
And if they can't use the phone as a whole device, they can always break it into pieces, Popa said.
'Cellphones can also be taken apart to their core components, and they are worth a lot of money because screens, batteries, cameras, and chips have a ton of value,' he said.
Reached as he walked down Church Street on Thursday, Anief Williams told CTV News he's had three phones stolen in the past year in public places, including libraries and subways.
'It's ridiculous man, it's not cool,' he said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
14 minutes ago
- CTV News
R.I.D.E program stops woman driving impaired
a 44-year-old driver is facing impaired driving related charges after being stopped by Huronia West OPP R.I.D.E program on Friday night. According to OPP, officers were conducting a R.I.D.E program in Springwater Township on Mills Street East and around 11:00 p.m. officers stopped a vehicle for a spot check. After speaking with the driver, police were lead to believe the motorist was driving impaired and began an investigation. As a result, a woman from Oro-Medonte was arrested and charged with Operation while impaired - blood alcohol concentration (80 plus). the accused is set to appear in court later this month.
National Post
40 minutes ago
- National Post
B.C. cabinet minister says she's 'fortunate' to have received just half a dozen death threats
VANCOUVER — British Columbia infrastructure minister says in her eight years as a member of the legislature, she can recall receiving about half a dozen death threats, and considers herself 'pretty fortunate' as a provincial politician. Article content Bowinn Ma says she knows it's strange to say, but she is aware of other elected officials who have been the subject of many more such threats. Article content Article content Article content Ma's comments come after an explosive blasted open the front door of her North Vancouver constituency office last week, setting off an RCMP investigation. Article content Article content No one was hurt and police are saying little about a motive or suspects, but Ma says she won't be intimidated from continuing her work and serving the community. Article content However, Ma says that she is worried about the lasting implications such a threat can have 'on the way that politicians serve.' Article content When Ma was first elected, she says she took over a former member's office and tore down a security wall that went across the room to make it more welcoming, but now says she'll work with a Legislature security team for a threat assessment and ongoing safety advice. Article content But Ma says she is worried the blast can feed into a feeling among elected officials and the public that politicians are being more 'frequently targeted.' Article content 'I worry that will drive elected officials further away from these kinds of open approaches, and that's not a criticism of elected officials. I mean, they've got to do what they need to do to keep themselves and their staff safe, but we also lose out as a democratic society when that happens.' Article content Article content Ma says Mounties told her that 'there is no indication of a repeat event' and an investigation is ongoing. Article content Article content At the same time, Ma says she encourages anyone passionate about running for office not to be deterred. Article content
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Woman charged with impaired driving after car crashes into Toronto restaurant
Social Sharing A woman has been charged with impaired driving after allegedly driving into a restaurant in Toronto early Saturday morning, police say. The incident happened around 4:30 a.m. near Sackville Street and Dundas Street E., Toronto police said in a post on X on Saturday. The driver, a woman in her 30s, was the only occupant of the vehicle. No injuries were reported, police said. The investigation is ongoing. Police remained on scene Saturday morning. Images from the area show a vehicle with significant damage to its bumper. Photos also show visible damage to the entrance of Café ZUZU, a café and restaurant nearby, with glass and debris scattered on the ground.
