Police across the island are urging owners of BlackBerry phones to be very careful when using them in public since the device is one of the preferred instruments for thieves.

According to the police, the BlackBerry phone is extremely easy to sell since it is in high demand.

Superintendent Derrick Knight, head of the in St Andrew South police, told THE STAR that people with BlackBerry phones are being targeted. "The BlackBerry device has always been the choice among robbers because they are a high-profile phone and they are a quick market for sellers," said the senior officer.

He said thieves target owners because they can sell the phone for $10,000 when compared to the retail price of $50,000.

detection methods

Knight said the police have developed methods of detecting persons who steal these phones, but people cannot be careless with their phones and their lives. "The public must be very careful about how, where and when they use their BlackBerry phones," said the senior officer.

The Montego Bay and Ocho Rios police are issuing a similar warning. According to them, the robbers usually run and snatch the phones from the hands or waists of owners.

The Ocho Rios police said tourists who travel with BlackBerry or iPhone instruments are normally targeted.

"They do not want the regular camera phones, they want the BlackBerry or iPhone because they are quick to sell, just like laptops," a policeman said.

highly targeted

In Montego Bay, police say that although the phones are highly targeted, the amount of phones being stolen has been reduced for various reasons. "There has been a reduction in the amount of BlackBerry phones being stolen when compared to the last two years when you would probably have two persons complaining of their phones being robbed, almost each day," said a policeman.

He said since the introduction of the various BlackBerry plans, more people can easily purchase these phones, while others probably choose to travel with a cheaper phone on the road.

Despite a reduction in BlackBerry phone theft in Montego Bay, downtown Kingston and Ocho Rios have experienced an increase.

A policeman with the Kingston Central police said there has been a steady increase in reports of BlackBerry phones being stolen. "There has definitely been an increase, there is also a belief that there could be a cellular phone racket," said the cop.