Apple, Microsoft, Google, Samsung asked to help fight cellphone thefts

New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is pressing leading cellphone manufacturers to do more to help stem a growing tide of mobile phone thefts.

On Monday, Schneiderman’s office sent letters to Apple, Samsung, Google and Microsoft, asking for details about what they are doing to deter such crimes.

“Cracking down on violent and dangerous cell phone thefts is important for New Yorkers,” Schneiderman said in a statement. “The companies that dominate this industry have a responsibility to their customers to fulfill their promises to ensure safety and security. This is a multibillion-dollar industry that produces some of the most popular and technologically advanced consumer electronic products in the world. Surely we can work together to find solutions that lead to a reduction in violent street crime targeting consumers.”

According to a press release, theft of Apple products represent the bulk of the increase in crime. The attorney general’s office says that in New York City during the first nine months of 2012, there were 11,447 cases of stolen “iDevices”( which include iPhones and iPads). That’s an increase of 3,280 from 2011.

The release stresses that it’s not just Apple. New York City police report that 30% of electronic gadgets stolen on buses and the subways are made by other manufacturers.

Here are the letters to Apple, Microsoft, Google and Samsung.

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