Stolen tourist’s phone recovered in Cartagena after robbery video helped launch investigation

A tourist's phone stolen in Cartagena's Historic Center has been recovered, but the person suspected of taking it remains unidentified.

The theft was recorded on video, and the footage circulated widely on social media. The attention surrounding the incident led Cartagena's Interior Secretariat to file a complaint and refer the case to the Metropolitan Police.

Investigators from the Sijín Economic Heritage Group, with support from the Attorney General's Office, are gathering evidence to determine who allegedly committed the theft and where the phone was located. Interior and Citizen Coexistence Secretary Daniel Vargas said the case showed why victims should formally report crimes, even when they appear difficult to solve. "This case demonstrates why it is so important to report," Vargas said.

Investigators located the phone through a third party, after which authorities took custody of it. Vargas and Lieutenant Colonel Alejandro Salgado, the Metropolitan Police's operations commander, formally returned the device at the Cartagena Metropolitan Police headquarters. The investigation remains open, with authorities still seeking to identify and capture the alleged thief.

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This case demonstrates why it is so important to report.