Collegeville Police. Photo by James Short.
Police said multiple law enforcement agencies are reporting similar incidents.
A new cell phone theft scheme involving FedEx and AT&T phones is on the rise in Collegeville Borough and the surrounding areas.
According to Collegeville Police Department, there have been reports from several residents regarding theft of cell phones that were delivered by FedEx. Multiple other law enforcement agencies, police said, are experiencing similar thefts.
Police said there have also been reports of residents receiving packages containing smartphones that were delivered to someone not residing at the address.
In those cases, Collegeville Police said, the packages were likely taken by one of the thieves that had them fraudulently delivered to the wrong address, with the resident not turning the package over to police.
A common thread in the thefts, according to authorities, is the use of FedEx packages and AT&T phones.
Police are investigating the incidents. Scammers have also been known to steal FedEx shipping numbers to track deliveries.
Residents are encouraged and recommended to buy cell phones at a physical store, or, if phone are delivered to the home, to request the package be signed for at time of delivery, police said.
