Peru: Stealing Cell Phones Might Land You Life in Prison

Peru has been facing problems with people stealing cell phones as the number of robberies has increased. However, the government has a solution to curb these crimes, and it may include some pretty harsh penalties.

The country's congress, which has spent years trying to find ways to stop people from stealing phones or robbing at gunpoint to steal those phones, has revised the country's penal code and it imposes some harsher punishments for some acts.

Peru's penal code previously did not include any prison time for those who steal cell phones. However, authorities decided to make some changes after it was reported that there was an increasing rate of theft of mobile devices throughout Peru, according to the Associated Press.

In this newly updated penal code, those found guilty of stealing cell phones will carry an initial penalty of 12 years in prison. It can go up to 30 years if that person uses a weapon or explosives when robbing someone for their cell phone. However, the harshest punishment is life in prison should that thief or robber kill somebody while stealing a phone.

Peru Interior Minister Vicente Romero released a statement following the approval of the new penal code, saying that this will send "a clear warning to all those who steal cell phones."

Approximately 1.2 million phones were reportedly stolen all over Peru during the first nine months of 2023, according to the South American nation's telecommunication authority. This means that on average, over 4,000 mobile devices were stolen each day for the first nine months of 2023.

Stealing Cell Phones Is the Most Common Crime in Peru

In Peru, walking around while talking on your phone can be dangerous as it could lead to being snatched or robbed at gunpoint. As Infobae noted, cell phone theft is the most common type of crime in the country, with thieves lurking all over to look for mobile devices.

They do not just look for distracted passers-by talking on their phones, but also for cell phones locked inside vehicles or left inside houses.

In March of this year alone, over 140,000 cases of cell phone theft were reported all over Peru, which is around "4,529 cell phones stolen daily" in all 31 days of that month, according to Infobae.

It was noted that Peruvian authorities were trying to take measures to curb these thefts. With the revision of the new penal code, they may have found a way.

Peru Has Infamous Market for Stolen Mobile Devices

Why is there an epidemic of mobile device theft all over Peru? It seems that there is a large market for secondhand goods in the country, and most of those secondhand goods are stolen.

According to the Peru Telegraph, Peru is known for a flourishing "secondhand" market of stolen devices. In fact, there are many places that are infamous for selling these stolen goods, including Polvos Azules, Wilson, Gamarram, and Las Malvinas.

The most infamous may be Las Malvinas, the area surrounding Argentina Avenue, as these places are known for the distribution of stolen goods. They often sell "used" cellphones in these Peruvian markets and they often come without any warranty. Some are even illegally manipulated and have their International Mobile Equipment Identity number changed.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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