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Wilmington Police Warn Residents About Uptick In Armed Robberies Of Cell Phones

WILMINGTON, Del. (CBS) – The Wilmington Police Department says it's noticed an increase in robberies targeting cell phones.

Over the past month, there have reportedly been several reports of armed and strong arm robberies in Wilmington.

Police say the robberies are not confined to any specific geographic area and do not appear to be unique to any age or gender; however, a common theme is that the cell phone user is distracted. Police say the suspects typically snatch the phones from the victim's hands or remove them from their pockets.

Police are reminding residents to take simple actions to protect themselves, such as refraining from texting and walking, walking in well-lit areas in pairs, staying aware of your surroundings, using only one ear bud to listen to music, recording your cell's serial number in case it's stolen, keeping your cash and phone hidden from view and reporting any suspicious persons.

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