Forwarded from the 6th District police blotter:

On Wednesday, 07/01/09, 11:45 PM, out-of-town complainant’s were walking along the waterfront in the area of the Seaport Museum, 201 S. Columbus Blvd. when 3 males approached them, one male knocked one of the complainant’s to the ground.. The male took the complainants’ cell phones and wallets and fled the scene. The offenders were described as #1-black male, 20’s, 6′3″, 230 lbs., wearing a black head wrap, #2-black female, 15 years, 5′2″, 135 lbs, #3-Hispanic male, 25 years, 5′8″, 170 lbs., wearing a black muscle shirt, dark jeans. Central Detectives called complainant’s phone and arranged to “buy it back” from a male that answered it. A meet was set and a surveillance was set up in the 1200 block Filbert St. where the complainant identified a Hispanic male as one of the offenders. An 18 year old male with a Germantown address was charged with Robbery, Assault, Conspiracy and related offenses.

Ladies and gentlemen, here lies the ol’ “Buy It Back” cell phone scam. For a time, it served its users well. But like so many crimes these days, it simply could not stay on pace with technological advancements (such as being able to have a stolen phone locked or bricked, thereby making no one care anymore if their shit gets stolen) or, indeed, the, uh, advancement of criminal science. “Buy It Back” leaves a small legion of petty thieves in its wake who, like newspapermen, simply don’t know what they’ll do now. May “Buy It Back” rest in peace.

Previously: And Now, Philebrity’s Guide To The 2009 Fishtown/NoLibs Mugging Season

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 8th, 2009 at 11:01 am.