Mobile phone heist warning

Three suspects have been taken in for questioning over the thefts which occurred in quick succession in the perfume city following a spate of similar incidents in Cagnes-sur-Mer.

The thieves, usually youngsters who are probably being exploited by an older person, enter the restaurant or bar in the guise of beggars. They carry a panel bearing the words “de l’argent pour manger” (loosely, “money to buy food with”) and a newspaper with which they skilfully cover the phone before sliding it off the table into their pockets. The diner is usually too busy fending off the demand for money to notice the theft until it is too late.

The advice? Keep your mobile phone (or phones) in your pocket or bag at all times. CL