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BRIEF: St. Louis mayor signs cellphone law in attempt to crack down on robberiesDec 21, 2012 (St. Louis Post-Dispatch - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay today signed a new law aimed at stemming the tide of cellphone robberies in the city. The law requires stores that buy used cellphones to record the seller's personal information -- from name and address all the way down to the person's right thumb print. Cell phone thefts have been a persistent problem in the city. The issue gained full attention in August when former St. Louis University volleyball player Megan Boken was killed during an apparent cellphone robbery while she talked on her iPhone. The rate of cellphone thefts has grown as the devices become more affordable throughout the world. St. Louis police asked for the law. "We need to be able to follow these stolen phones as they are resold," said a statement from incoming St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson. "This legislation will help us find who stole a phone, make an arrest and prosecute. If we do that enough times, the thieves will get the idea. That will make people safer." ___ (c)2012 the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Visit the St. Louis Post-Dispatch at www.stltoday.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |