An Aberdeen student who was one of dozens of people to have their phone stolen at a music festival says she has been “harassed” by the thieves.
22-year-old Mia Sutherland and her friends were attending the £139.95 per ticket Terminal V Festival in Edinburgh on April 13 and 14 when her mobile was snatched.
The Robert Gordon University law student, who is originally from Inverness, told The P&J she is in touch with around 70 other victims who are now tracking their phones to Dubai, Manchester and London.
Police Scotland said it received 43 reports of phones being stolen at the electric music event, which took place at the capital’s Royal Highland Centre.
However Miss Sutherland believes that up to 200 handsets were taken from victims.
“It’s theft on a grand scale. I’ve got a group chat of just 70 people who have all had their phones stolen in the same place by the same group of people,” she said.
“My phone was stolen towards the end on the Sunday night. I put the phone in my bag and just as I’d gone to zip it up, it was already gone.”
Victims now being ‘harassed’ by hackers
Miss Sutherland believes that the thefts were “organised” with the majority of phones being tracked to Dubai as well as others to Manchester and London.
The student – who said she is “absolutely fuming” about what happened – has now accepted that she is unlikely to get her phone back.
Her worry now is the “scary” harassment that she and the other victims have been facing.
She said most people have changed their numbers for security reasons after being sent fake texts from the thieves pretending to be from Apple in order to get personal details.
“It’s an invasion of privacy, it’s way more than just theft,” she said.
Number of phones stolen ‘in line’ with size of event
Police said the 43 reports they have received in relation to stolen phones is “in line” with what they would expect to see at an event of this size.
A spokesperson said they are “keeping an open mind” with regards to links with organised crime gangs.
A Police Scotland spokeswoman added: “Following the Terminal V event on Saturday 13 and Sunday, April 14, which was attended by thousands of people, we received 43 reports of mobile phones stolen. Inquiries are ongoing.
“If anyone has any information, please contact 101 quoting reference number 1166 of April 13.”
Terminal V Festival has been approached for comment.
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