Unregistered Cell Phones and Crime

There are a lot of things in this world that don’t make sense. One of those things is disposable cell phones that criminals use to commit crimes. Once they finish making the drug deal, they simply toss the untraceable cell phone in the trash.

No cell phone, no owner, no case.

This makes no sense at all. You can’t buy Sudafed without showing your driver's license or giving up your first born. When it was discovered that ephedrine is a key ingredient in the production of crystal meth, suddenly we’re tracking every purchase through the DEA.

Of course, you can’t buy cigarettes or beer without showing your ID, either.

Okay, let’s replace the Sudafed with disposable cell phones, and crystal meth with every criminal activity that involves unregistered cell phones. Imagine if law enforcement agencies were able to trace, track and call cell phones from a van. Wouldn’t it benefit us to require identification – a driver's license or state I.D. – for every disposable cell phone purchase?

It would make it easier to link phones to crimes,  like Sudafed to meth.

The Colgate Improvement Association asked state Sen. Norman Stone if he would consider sponsoring legislation to require purchase registration of disposable cell phones. He sent us an e-mail promising to look into the matter for the 2012 session. We need to help our law enforcement by doing whatever it takes to close this gap in crime.

Crooks will find any way to exploit the system. Sometimes we can do something about it. Write to your elected officials and ask them to require all cell phones be registered with a valid drivers license.

David Hyland is president of the Colgate Improvement Association.