With the season of giving upon us, consumer electronics like iPods and digital cameras have become increasingly popular – and it is more important than ever to do what you can to protect these electronic gifts.
A new study I conducted found that theft of five of the most popular electronic items has increased 43 percent since 2007. In fact, according to FBI data, nearly 400,000 laptops, cell phones, televisions, video games and cameras have been stolen this year alone.
This proves that while most of us are filled with the holiday spirit, there are still a lot of scrooges out there looking to rip you off.
With 90 percent of American households owning a cell phone and 77 percent owning a digital camera, technologies that were only beginning to penetrate the consumer market a decade ago are now nearly as common in an average household as a television or a microwave oven. According to the Consumer Electronics Association, the average American household spent $1,200 last year on a variety of consumer electronics like TVs, laptops, and MP3 players.
As sales of these products have increased, they have become more popular targets for potential thieves. Simply put, as the technology gets smaller, the target becomes larger for these “iThieves.” It is an omnipresent, miniature electronics crime paradox; even as crime goes down, when you have more electronics, you have more theft.
The results of my study are shocking. I also found that:
? Laptops remain the item most commonly stolen, with over 128,000 reported stolen nationally, a 31 percent increase since 2007.
? Home and portable video game systems (i.e. Sony PSP, Nintendo DS) saw the largest percentage increase, a staggering 285 percent increase since 2007.
? Televisions saw a 188 percent increase in reported theft.
? Cell phone thefts increased 33 percent, from 26,298 to 106,968 between 2008 and 2009.
? According to FBI data, following the late June 2007 release of the original iPhone, cell phone thefts spiked –with 31,000 being reported stolen in July 2007 alone.
? Cameras, both digital and 35mm, saw a 40 percent increase since 2007, with 39,454 reported stolen in 2009.
To help combat this growing problem, I am introducing legislation called the “iCrime” (Internet Consumer Registry for Impeding the Theft of Mobile Electronics) Act that would create a national database run by the Department of Commerce. The database would create a single web site for consumers, manufacturers, retailers, servicers and law enforcement agencies to share information and report thefts.
This information would be used to discourage the purchase of stolen goods by allowing customers to know whether a second hand item they are looking to purchase is in fact stolen.
It would also make it easier for law enforcement agencies to track, arrest and prosecute thieves and return recovered electronics to their rightful owners.
Furthermore, if a cell phone or another electronic device that uses a cellular network were reported stolen on the web site or over the phone, cellular providers would then be required to shutdown service to that device within 24-hours. The cell phone companies would then blacklist the product from ever being reactivated on any network.
Even though overall crime in New York City is declining, we cannot afford to be complacent. Theft is a quality of life issue and safety issue that we cannot tolerate. We need to give retailers, law enforcement and government agencies the tools they need to combat this crime epidemic.
