Stealing mobile phones in cafes and restaurants is not new, but the method is changing. Instead of hasty thefts or obvious approaches, criminals now resort to such a subtle trick that it goes unnoticed to the most attentive. The coup has been recorded in several European cities and can happen anywhere in the world. And the most worrying thing is that you take advantage of a banal habit: leaving your mobile phone on the table while having a coffee on a terrace, warns the Portuguese digital site specializing in technology Leak.
How the mobile phone scheme works
The process is ingenious for its simplicity. The robber enters the coffee or restaurant with the posture of a normal client. Instead of looking for wallets or bags, it takes a seemingly harmless object with it: a folded newspaper, a sheet of paper, a pamphlet or even a fake menu.
As you approach the victim’s table, the object lands on the mobile phone, pretending to show something, asking for a signature or even simulating distraction. With a quick gesture, the mobile phone slides under the paper. When the object is lifted, the device disappears with it.
According to Leak, everything happens in less than ten seconds. For those who are distracted, it seems only a casual interaction in a public space.
Because it results so well
This method works because it explores trust, routine and distraction. In cafes or restaurants, many lower the guard. The mobile phone at the table looks natural, whether to read news, consult social networks or respond to messages.
The robbers know this. The gesture of landing a newspaper or pamphlet does not raise suspicions, and often criminals act on pairs: while one performs the theft, the other watcher or creates distraction at another point of space.
Where it happens more often
This type of theft is more common in busy places:
- Coffee in urban centers, with constant turnover of customers.
- Restaurants in tourist areas, where visitors are more relaxed.
- Terraces and food squares in shopping centers.
Still, it can happen anywhere. What the robbers are looking for are small tables and customers who make their mobile phone visible.
More than a stolen device
Losing a mobile phone is more serious than it seems. Today, smartphones are true digital coffers. They keep photographs, private conversations, social networking logins, emails and even access to bank applications and payments like MB Way.
According to, within minutes a criminal can try to explore this information. If the mobile phone is not protected with PIN, fingerprint or facial recognition, the damage may multiply.
How to avoid being a victim
There are simple measures that help prevent this type of theft:
- Never leave the phone on the table.
- Be aware of approaches with large papers or objects.
- Store the device in interior pockets, closed suitcase or coat.
- Always locate the device with strong codes and biometric authentication.
- Activate remote tracking on Android or iOS to block or delete from a distance.
The false sense of security
The idea that it is unlikely to be stolen in a space full of people is misleading. It is precisely in the movement of the terraces and cafes that criminals can go unnoticed.
The newspaper or pamphlet trick shows how the theft methods are evolving. Violence or in a hurry is no longer necessary: a discrete gesture is enough for a mobile phone to disappear without a trace.
The lesson is clear: small care makes the difference between a quiet coffee and a damage that goes far beyond the value of the device.
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