Gardai have issued a stark warning after a rise in phone thefts in the lead up to St Patrick’s Day.
Their warning comes after officers investigating the thefts discovered six mobile phones, each wrapped in foil to prevent tracking, during a search of two hotel rooms in north Dublin on Sunday.
Two of the phones have since been returned to their owners while gardai are working to working to locate the rest.
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A man, 20s, appeared before Dublin District Court on Monday after he was arrested and charged for the offence of handling stolen property.
He was remanded in custody and is due to appear before Dublin District Court on Wednesday at 10.30am.
Additionally, another man, 30s, was arrested after gardai recovered two stolen mobile phones and a purse during patrols on Camden Street in the early hours of Sunday morning.
He has since been charged in relation to this investigation and was released on bail to appear before the court on April 6. The phones were successfully returned to their owners.
Dublin Live previously spoke to a young woman who was targeted by scammers claiming to be An Garda Siochana after her phone was stolen.
Gardai have warned people attending St Patrick's Day celebrations to take "particular care with personal items, particularly mobile phones".
Here are some top tips on how you can prevent and reduce phone theft:
• Register your mobile phone with your service provider.
• Take careful note of your unique 15 digit mobile phone International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number. By pressing *#06# on your phone keypad the IMEI will appear on the screen.
• Enable the PIN Security feature and keep your phone locked at all times.
• When out and about, keep your mobile phone out of public view, be streetwise and always be aware of your surroundings.
• If you are making or receiving a phone call in public, do so with your back to a wall and reduce the opportunity to be attacked from behind.
• Never leave your mobile phone behind in an unattended vehicle.
• If your mobile phone is lost or stolen, contact your mobile phone service provider immediately to suspend your service and prevent unauthorised calls being made and billed to you. Your provider will block your SIM card and IMEI number to prevent your phone from being used on the mobile network.
• Report the loss or theft to An Garda Síochána, providing identification numbers for your SIM card and IMEI number. This information may assist in the recovery of your mobile phone.
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