Mexico City sees surge in phone theft during World Cup 2026 celebrations

Mexico City is grappling with a surge in mobile phone theft during the 2026 World Cup festivities, with 92 criminal investigations opened. The city's prosecutor, Bertha Alcalde Luján, reported that 11 people have been arrested since the tournament began on June 11. Authorities are actively working to return recovered devices, with police chief Pablo Vázquez Camacho stating that the Prosecutor's Office has posted images of the 44 recovered phones on social media to help owners reclaim them.

"The Prosecutor's Office itself has made an invitation on social media for people who can recognize the devices to come forward for their recovery," Camacho said. He noted that many of these thefts are "without violence," occurring when individuals are distracted or keep their phones in easily accessible places. This opportunistic crime often targets people in crowded areas.

“

The Prosecutor's Office itself has made an invitation on social media for people who can recognize the devices to come forward for their recovery.

To combat the issue, the Secretariat of Citizen Security (SSC) has deployed over 200 officers from the Industrial Banking Police at the Zócalo Fan Fest alone. Additionally, intelligence personnel are conducting surveillance, and the city's extensive video surveillance system is being used to identify suspicious behavior patterns in crowds, aiding in arrests. The authorities are urging attendees to be vigilant and take precautions to prevent their belongings from being stolen.

“

When we have crowds or events of the scale we have had, there are people who seek this to take the opportunity to commit robberies. These are generally, almost I would say in their absolute majority, robberies without violence, which take advantage of the fact that the person neglects their belongings or keeps them in places that are easily accessible to those who pass by their side.