Peru imposes harsh penalties for stealing cellphones, including life in prison

LIMA, Peru (AP) — Peru’s government has enacted legal changes imposing harsh penalties for stealing cellphones, including life in prison for the person who kills someone while robbing a mobile device. Peruvian authorities say they decided to revisit the law after they saw that an increasing rate of robbery of mobile devices throughout the country. The Peruvian telecommunication authority reported that around 1.2 million cellphones were reported as stolen from January to September of 2023, or more than 4,000 a day. Interior Minister Vicente Romero said the new penalties will send “a clear warning to all those who steal cellphones.”