Coachella thief caught by Find My iPhone after stealing 100 phones

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Keep one eye on your iPhone at Coachella.
Keep one eye on your iPhone at Coachella.
Photo: Tim Hawk/Flickr CC

Music lovers at Coachella fell victim to a serial phone snatcher on the loose at the festival last weekend. But like many iPhone thieves, the Coachella bandit got foiled by Apple’s Find My iPhone feature.

Several festival-goers noticed their phones disappeared while at the concert, according to a report from the Indio police department. Using Find My iPhone, the tech-savvy crowd tracked down the suspected thief and followed him until he could be detained by security.

The New York man was allegedly found with more than 100 stolen phones in his backpack. Police say Reinaldo De Jesus Henao was picking pockets while walking through the crowd of the popular California festival.

Most of the phones were stolen near the Sahara Tent and were a mix of iPhones and Androids with big screens. Many of the phones were returned to their owners that day. If you’re a victim and are still looking for your device, contact Coachella’s Lost and Found or call Indio police.

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