Criminal incidents involving attempted cell phone thefts reported in Costa Rica and Colombia

In separate criminal incidents in Costa Rica and Colombia, individuals were apprehended following attempted thefts of mobile phones.

In San Isidro de El General, Pérez Zeledón, a man identified as Chinchilla was sentenced by the Pérez Zeledón Criminal Court for attempted robbery with violence and attempted homicide. The incident occurred when Chinchilla attempted to steal a phone from a man named Rivera. During a struggle, Chinchilla attacked Rivera with scissors, striking him in the arm and the chest near the lung, causing life-threatening injuries. Chinchilla received a five-year prison sentence, which was substituted with house arrest under electronic monitoring.

In Bogotá, Colombia, police captured a man at the Quiroga station of the TransMilenio system after an attempted theft. The suspect allegedly tried to steal a phone from a passenger using a ‘human ladder’ method while the bus was stopped. The attempt failed when the victim grabbed the suspect's arm. Witnesses reported that bystanders confronted the man before police arrived. The stolen device was recovered, and the suspect was placed at the disposal of the Attorney General's Office for theft.