Bayside, Whitestone, College Point and Flushing residents are being asked to watch out for perpetrators on bicycles looking to clip cell phones from unsuspecting pedestrians.
Community Affairs officers from the 109th Precinct were out distributing information about a recent citywide rise in cell phone snatches, where individuals riding bicycles drive up to victims, take their cell phone out of their hand and make off with the stolen property.
Officers asked residents to always be aware of their surroundings when walking down the street and secure their belongings when in transit.
Residents are also encouraged to register their electronic devices with the NYPD’s Operation ID program. Offered free of charge, participants provide police with the serial numbers of their devices, which are then recorded in the NYPD database.
If a registered item is stolen, officers can use the recorded information or the locating software built into some devices to help recover it.
Any Queens residents interested in the service can contact their local precinct and ask to speak to the Crime Prevention Officer. The 109th Precinct can be reached at 718-321-2250.
