Man arrested with 30 phones in cycling shorts after Sum 41 gig

Police decry ‘mobile banditry’

The suspect's cycling shorts, in which he had stuffed 30 mobile phones (Dutch Police)

An alleged pickpocket is in too deep with the law after stealing 30 mobile phones and hiding them in his cycling shorts during a concert in Amsterdam.

Dutch police received a number of reports of pickpocketing during the Sum 41 concert on 21 January and sealed off the exits of the AFAS Live arena.

A person who fit the description provided by some of the victims was swiftly discovered, officers said in a statement.

The 34-year-old Romanian man is expected to appear in court later this week.

Authorities already had reason to believe pickpocketing would take place, as colleagues in Belgium had reported some 50 mobile phones stolen during the punk rockers’ gig in Antwerp a week earlier.

Police said the successful arrest demonstrated healthy cooperation between European police authorities in dealing with “mobile banditry”.

(Dutch Police (Dutch Police)

The phrase refers to a specific type of organised crime carried out by gangs across European countries, including theft, robbery and burglary.