Why are they obsessed with stealing peoples cell phones in Latin American countries?

[WhiteBoyChill]

I’ve talked to Colombians. I’ve talked to Brazilians. I’ve talked to Argentinians.

And despite their cultural differences, they all agree on one thing.

That if you walk around with your cell phone out, somebody will snatch it out of your hands and steal it.

I walk around using my cell phone all the time in cities in the US though.

I’ve never had it stolen from me.

So why is this a thing in LATAM?

I thought the average person in LATAM also has a cell phone they own.

[Lilith13]

As you know, I am from Spain, not Latin America, and I believe that cell phone theft does not only occur there. It can also happen in other countries in the world, I remember that my mother once told me that at the market in the town where we live her mobile phone was stolen there, and when she found out, I think my father called her number and when they answered the call, he heard the voice of a Moroccan man, apparently a man from Morocco stole it and probably took it to that country and I think he sold it or something, I'm not sure, but I think it's to later sell them on black markets or stolen items, in Barcelona I also heard that there are many phone thefts. I also remember that an uncle of mine had a bicycle stolen and my family suspected that they could have stolen it and then sold it at some market where they sell stolen items and we went to look in some of them to see if we were lucky to find it, but nothing, we had no luck. good luck finding my uncle's bicycle. I also remember that I saw a video of a boy who stuck his arm out of the window of a car while holding his cell phone and a black man noticed that he had the cell phone and ran and tried to take it out of his hand, but fortunately I couldn't steal it. You have to be careful to avoid being robbed, I would advise that you carry your cell phone in a bag and for greater security put a padlock with a key on the zippers and that you carry the key to the padlock on a chain, rope or necklace around your neck and that Hide under your clothes at all times to avoid losing them and/or having them stolen. And if you carry backpacks, instead of putting it on your back, put it in front of you so you can watch it at all times, and also to prevent being robbed at home, install security cameras (I would recommend installing them yourself and having an app or software installed to see through them from time to time, for people who don't like a company invading their privacy and/or who don't want to spend a monthly or annual subscription on a surveillance company), also keep valuables in a hiding place secret of the house, or in safes and that you take the key and/or the code of the safe with you at all times, I also do not recommend that you leave the password and/or code of the safe at home when you are absent at home , since if they manage to enter your houses, the thieves could find them and manage to open it and then steal the valuables, I also do not recommend leaving the house keys inside or in places outside the house such as under the entrance carpet, or exterior hiding places such as fake stones to hide keys or things of that type, I think in cartoon or live action series, etc. It's a famous cliché and thieves probably know it and can also search those places. Also close doors and windows very well (if possible also use padlocks on them or if they have locks with keys, and also take the keys with you), also install alarms and also if you inspect your own security cameras, call the police as soon as possible. first if you see that they have entered to steal, since in certain countries and/or houses they do not have bars or blinds, which could also help hinder the entry of these criminals. In the town where we live, there are many robberies, attacks and other problems, because many immigrants from Africa come to us from the Canary Islands, and my sister and her best friend thought about going to the beach, but her friend's sister told them that they didn't go because there have been a lot of robberies lately, and in the end they didn't go. I would also advise that if you go to the beach or to certain places to bathe such as swimming pools or spas, that you be accompanied by someone you trust, friends or family, that they take care of your belongings while you bathe if they are not going to bathe at that time, Or if they offer lockers, you can store your things and carry the keys with you at all times. I know this is very long, and I'm a stickler for keys, safes, padlocks, blah blah blah, but I want to give advice to have greater security and be calmer. If anyone wants to ask me something, you can do so.

[avery58]

I guess it's just thieves stealing as many phones as they can to sell them

[avery58]

My sister in law is from Colombia, a few years ago she was robbed at gunpoint. They took everything, phone and purse.

[HawkPerception]

It's one of the most valuable and easy to steal things. They don't have laptops as commonly there. People in poorer countries will steal as a way to get ahead faster in life rather than work for peanuts. The average income of someone in Columbia is 4,690,000 COL/month which is around $1129.95 USD/month. That's not a lot to work with when you're trying to climb the ladder in life. Some people just want a fast pass. Obviously I'm not condoning stealing, but people around the world live in very different circumstances, which affect their views and moral compass, so I understand where they're coming from.

[jshm2]

They aren't. But probably think you are a dimwit who probably has insurance anyway.

So they will take your phone for free, so you can get another one for the same price.

[Drewtate]

In the US if you try to snatch someone's phone from their hand there is a possibility of getting shot.

[WhiteBoyChill]

Oh true