Brown bill targets cell phone thefts

YOUNGSTOWN — With more people relying on their cell phones to maintain all their personal information, the risk of additional crimes has increased when those phones are stolen.

A new bill that has been introduced in the U.S. Senate would create mandatory prison sentences for those who steal a cellular phone and alter its International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number. These numbers allow law enforcement to track cellular devices, said Capt. Jason Simon from the Youngstown Police Department.

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, has introduced the bill after talking to law enforcement officials throughout the state who are complaining about the increasing number of cell phones thefts. Brown was at the YPD today to promote the bill.