Police investigate wave of phone thefts in Praia da Rocha

Police are investigating a wave of mobile phone thefts reported during the Afro Nation festival weekend in Praia da Rocha, Portimão, after more than 50 victims came forward to report stolen devices.

The Public Security Police (PSP) confirmed it received an unusually high number of complaints relating to phone thefts in the resort’s nightlife district over the weekend, when tens of thousands of festival-goers visited the Algarve.

Investigators believe the thefts were carried out by organised pickpocket gangs that travelled to the area to target the large crowds attending the event. Police are examining possible links with similar groups from Latin America that have previously operated at major music festivals elsewhere in Portugal.

According to Portuguese media reports, many victims described the same method: a thief deliberately bumped into them before a mobile phone disappeared from a pocket or bag. In several cases, the stolen devices were switched off within minutes, preventing owners from tracking them.

One victim told Correio da Manhã that his wife’s phone, worth around €1,000, was stolen from a cross-body bag after they were jostled while walking through the nightlife area following the festival. When they tried to call the device, it had already been turned off, they told the paper..

Police are also investigating what happened to the stolen phones, with one possibility being that they were dismantled and sold for parts rather than resold intact.

The investigation follows the dismantling of a suspected organised pickpocket cell during the Rock in Rio Lisboa festival last month. In that case, four suspects from Latin America were arrested after allegedly stealing dozens of mobile phones using distraction techniques in crowded areas.

The PSP have previously warned that organised pickpocket groups frequently target music festivals, tourist hotspots, public transport and other large gatherings, where dense crowds make thefts more difficult to detect.

PSP: “strong police presence kept public order“

The Faro District Command of the PSP said it had implemented a large-scale security operation across Portimão during the three-day Afro Nation festival, deploying officers to nightlife areas, public spaces, major access routes and commercial zones. Security inside the festival venue itself was the responsibility of the event organisers.

The force said the reinforced policing helped ensure there were no significant public order incidents despite daily crowds estimated at around 40,000 people.

During the operation, officers arrested 17 suspects for offences including drug trafficking, drink-driving and driving without a licence. They also detected drug consumption offences and irregularities involving commercial businesses.

In their initial statement, the PSP said 36 property crimes had been recorded during the operation, compared with 80 during the same period last year, but stressed the figures were provisional as victims still had time to report offences. Since then, the number of complaints has risen, with police now investigating more than 50 reported mobile phone thefts.

Investigations into the phone thefts remain ongoing, and no suspects have yet been identified in connection with the reported offences.

Organised gangs target major events

The latest incidents come amid a broader rise in organised pickpocketing across Portugal. According to PSP figures, 3,525 pickpocket thefts were recorded between January and June this year, resulting in just 64 arrests.

Police say many of the groups operate across several European countries, travelling to major festivals, tourist hotspots and other crowded events where large numbers of people make it easier to steal phones, wallets and other valuables without being detected.

One of the most recent cases occurred during the Rock in Rio Lisboa festival, where the PSP dismantled a criminal cell suspected of stealing 32 mobile phones. The suspects were citizens from Latin America who allegedly used distraction techniques, such as deliberately bumping into victims, to remove devices in crowded areas.

The PSP officer leading the force’s fight against pickpocketing has warned that these networks are becoming increasingly sophisticated, carefully selecting music festivals, nightlife districts, public transport and tourist attractions where the sheer volume of people makes thefts harder to detect.

How to reduce the risk of pickpocketing

Police advise festival-goers and tourists to take a few simple precautions, particularly in crowded areas such as concerts, nightlife districts, public transport and busy beaches:

Keep your phone, wallet and ID documents in a front pocket or an inside zipped compartment rather than a back pocket.

Use a cross-body bag with a zip closure and keep it in front of you in crowded places.

Avoid leaving phones on café tables or in open handbags.

Be alert if someone bumps into you, distracts you or tries to engage you unexpectedly, as this is a common tactic used by organised pickpockets.

Avoid carrying large amounts of cash and only take the valuables you need.

Enable your phone’s location-tracking features, such as Find My iPhone or Find My Device, and make sure you know your device’s IMEI number.

Back up important data regularly in case your phone cannot be recovered.

If you’re attending a festival, avoid storing your phone in loose pockets where it can be easily removed in a crowd.

If your phone is stolen, report it to the PSP as soon as possible, contact your mobile network provider to block the SIM card, and use your phone’s tracking service to try to locate or remotely lock and erase the device. Prompt reporting also helps police identify patterns and organised theft networks.