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Front Page Mobile phones now pose problemsby Staff Writer and Matilda Kirenga Mobile phone are now being blamed for fueling social disputes and crime in the Arusha municipality. Recent investigations reveal that reports being filed at the Central Police Station are mostly about mobile phone handsets, either stolen or taken by force. "If anything will kill Arusha people, then it is their cellular phones", summed up a Police officer at the Central station last week. Regional Police Commander, James Kombe when asked about the issue admitted it was a problem but added that most cases involving disputes or thefts of cellular phones, are quickly forwarded to courts of law. The Arusha Primary Court Magistrate, Kassim Said told the Arusha Times recently that the Levolosi- based, Maromboso primary court, had handled more than 90 cases involving mobile phones thefts, between January and April this year. If this phone theft rate continues, then the average 23 theft cases a month will add up to about 280 cases per year. According to the filed court cases, women are the main culprits behind cellular phone thefts, most of which are reported to be occurring in beauty parlors, hotels, bars and public transport vehicles. Local taxi drivers are also said to be notorious cellular phone ‘pickers’ since the handsets are often forgotten in their cabs by passengers. Some youths posing as town bus touts or "wapiga debe" are also reported to be cell–phone thieves, stealing the gadgets from unsuspecting passengers at any given opportunity. Mobile phone handsets are also increasingly being used in coordinating high profile crimes including bank robberies.
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