Thursday, September 11, 2025

Afraid of cell phone thieves on public transit? Buy a fake one

What to do about transit thieves who want to steal your cell phone? Fool them with a fake one.

A spike in robberies on transit buses in a Puebla city neighborhood sparked the ingenuity of local entrepreneurs, who are selling fake mobile phones as decoys to fool thieves.

Urging transit riders to “take no risks,” the vendors are selling the devices at 50 pesos and up (US $2.60).

According to some social media users, the fake phones are plastic cases with a cardboard mockup of an actual phone inside.

A Route 10 bus can be seen in the background of a photo that appeared on social media showing a sidewalk sign advertising the phone. The route runs between the southern Puebla neighborhoods of Los Álamos and Los Héroes which, according to residents, has seen an increased number of robberies.

The sign says, “For assaults on public transit!”

According to the National Survey on Urban Public Security (ENSU) conducted by the national statistics institute Inegi, 75% of the population 18 and older feel insecure in their cities, and transit buses are among the places where they feel the most insecure.

Source: Cultura Colectiva (sp)

Have something to say? Paid Subscribers get all access to make & read comments.
luz del mundo church with poster of Naason Joaquín García

Family of Naasón Joaquín García, leader of La Luz del Mundo, charged with sex trafficking

0
Joaquín, his mother and his nephew are charged with running "a wide-ranging racketeering and child exploitation enterprise" that preyed on young members of the La Luz del Mundo Church over many years.
washed up gray whale in Tijuana

92 gray whales have washed up dead in Baja California Sur, the worst die-off in decades

2
Scientists say malnutrition is to blame — not poaching or ship strikes — after most carcasses were found decomposed and showed no signs of direct human harm.

Annual inflation rose in August, but remains within central bank’s comfort zone

0
After easing in June and July, the consumer price index accelerated by 0.06% from July to August, a modest rise that leaves the door open to another possible interest rate cut on Sept. 25.
BETA Version - Powered by Perplexity