Dozens of stolen phones found stuffed in suspect's bike shorts
Police in Amsterdam said they found 30 mobile phones stuffed inside a pair of cycling shorts being worn by a pickpocketing suspect at the time they detained him. Authorities took the 34-year-old man from Romania into custody when they made the discovery on January 21.
It happened during a performance in Amsterdam-Zuidoost, after several "reports of pickpocketing came in during the concert," police said. "Some victims could also provide a description."
All exits to the venue were sealed off, and a suspect fitting the description was spotted by police.
Officers had already stepped up patrols outside the concert hall after receiving a tip from counterparts in Belgium. They said that some 50 telephones were swiped earlier this month following a concert in Antwerp, and the same band was scheduled to play a show in Amsterdam-Zuidoost.
Canadian rock band Sum 41 performed at AFAS Live the date the arrest was made, and had played a set at the Lotto Arena in Antwerp a week prior.
The suspect was remanded into custody by a magistrate, and is expected to have another court appearance later this week, police said. Authorities said the arrest demonstrated the strong bond between European police authorities in tackling "mobile banditry".
The phrase refers to criminal activity like burglary, drug trafficking, fraud and theft, carried out by roving groups of people who frequently cross international borders. Arrests in such cases often require the cooperation of multiple national police forces, as well as Europol and Interpol.
