Cellphone Pickpocketing, Or 'Apple Picking,' Is On Rise In Hoboken Bars, Police Warn

HOBOKEN, NJ — If you're reading this on your phone, check who's behind you.

The Hoboken Police Department is advising residents of an "uptick in cellphone thefts in the region," they said Friday.

Police have gotten more than two dozen reports of so-called “apple picking,” or cellphone thefts and pickpocketing, in Hoboken so far this year, they said.

The thefts take place in crowded local bars and restaurants, in which criminals stake out the establishment and wait for customers to leave their phones unattended, out of sight, or easily accessible.

Police advise the following:

• Never leave your cellphone unattended.
• If keeping your cellphone in a pocket, make sure it’s in the front and not the back pocket.
• Always keep purses in front of your body, even when sitting.
• Don’t keep cash, credit cards, or personal identification in your cell phone case.
• If your cellphone is stolen, file a police report immediately.

Anyone with information on recent cellphone thefts or pickpocketing is asked to contact Police Officer Daniel Grossi with the Hoboken Detective Bureau at GrossiD@Hobokenpdnj.go