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Video length: 3 min
Thefts: phones and laptops located thousands of kilometers away
In France, many victims of theft of electronic devices, such as phones or laptops, then locate their devices thousands of kilometers away. They mainly end up in Africa. – (France 2)
In France, many victims of theft of electronic devices, such as phones or laptops, then locate their devices thousands of kilometers away. They mainly end up in Africa.
A month ago, Tilou Martin was the victim of a burglary. In particular, his laptop was stolen, with personal data inside. A few hours after the burglary, he managed to locate his computer very precisely, thanks to an integrated GPS application. His device was then in Paris. But three days later, he was located in Abidjan (Ivory Coast). To try to recover his device, Tilou Martin contacted local residents and even identified the store where it would be located.
At least 600,000 phones stolen every year
Like Tilou Martin, many of them locate their stolen devices thousands of kilometers away, mainly in Africa. In a busy market in Dakar (Senegal), there are dozens of phones ready to be sold. The thieves’ networks are well established and organized, according to a repairer present on the market. He confirms the presence of stolen phones arriving by plane under the eyes of customs officers, who are sometimes complicit. In France, at least 600,000 cell phones are stolen each year. Only a small minority of devices are found.
