Keep your phone safe – or lose it
KONK LIFE STAFF WRITER
The Oct. 19 arrest of four Miami men who allegedly stole 14 cell phones from Fantasy Fest partygoers in an apparent multi-bar spree serves as a reminder to keep safe when enjoying downtown Key West.
Yordan Hernandez, 33, Angel Toral, 52, Jorge Fioernzano, 27, and Jose Lopez, 27, are collectively charged with more than 100 felonies, primarily grand theft, robbery and dealing in stolen property.
“Sadly, when we have large crowds like during Fantasy Fest, there is that element that comes to prey upon revelers,” Key West Police Department spokeswoman Alyson Crean told Konk Life.
Police were first alerted around 1 a.m. on Oct. 19. Two women called cops to Sloppy Joe’s on Lower Duval Street to report their cell phones had been stolen from their purses.
Olivia Burgess and Nicole Friedrich, respectively of Port St. Lucie and Fort Pierce, told police one of the arrestees bumped into them and they later noticed their phones were missing, according to police reports.
Friedrich used another friend’s cellphone to activate the “Find My iPhone” application, which uses GPS to remotely locate a phone, then display the location in close to real time on a map.
Police followed the phone’s signal up Truman Avenue to the intersection of North Roosevelt Boulevard and First Street.
At the intersection, police spotted a dark Infiniti SUV in a nearby parking lot. The driver immediately took off and police caught up with the vehicle at Kennedy Drive and North Roosevelt.
Friedrich identified Hernandez as the guy who had bumped into her at Sloppy Joe’s.
A search of the vehicle turned up 14 cellphones. Once police began returning the phones, all the victims told similar stories about how they lost their devices.
Other alleged thefts took place on Lower Duval at Rumors Lounge, Durty Harry’s, the Lazy Gecko and World of Beer.
“We have lots of officers on the ground, but they can’t prevent every theft attempt,” Crean said. “ So we encourage people to be aware of their surroundings and keep valuables close to them. If you don’t need to carry a phone, leave it at home.”
If you do carry a personal items, “It’s a good idea to keep those things – phones, wallets, money — in a sealed pocket if possible. If you carry a purse, keep it close to you and sealed. Finally, be wary. These incidents were apparent pros who bump into victims as a distraction before picking the phones right out of their purses. Each one said they had the purse with them on the dance floor. We want people to relax and have fun, but just add a few precautions so they don’t fall victim to these crimes of opportunity.”
“These arrests are good reminder that there are people out there who prey upon reveling crowds,” Police Chief Donie Lee said.
“It’s a good time to tell visitors and residents things they can do to become less of a target.”
Lee also urged everyone to engage a phone tracking application so that there’s a better chance of recovering a phone if it’s stolen.
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