Skip to content

Bill aims to ban cash-for-phone machines

Councilwoman Reynolds Brown is seeking to ban machines that can aid cellphone thieves.

EcoATMs offer instant cash for old electronics, but Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown is looking to ban these to curb cellphone thefts and related violence.

The ecoATM - Easy as 1, 2, 3

STEP 1: Place your mobile device in the ecoATM test station.
STEP 2: The ecoATM will examine your device and then search for the highest price we can find in the worldwide market.
STEP 3: If you agree to sell it, you will receive cash on the spot.
EcoATMs offer instant cash for old electronics, but Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown is looking to ban these to curb cellphone thefts and related violence. The ecoATM - Easy as 1, 2, 3 STEP 1: Place your mobile device in the ecoATM test station. STEP 2: The ecoATM will examine your device and then search for the highest price we can find in the worldwide market. STEP 3: If you agree to sell it, you will receive cash on the spot.Read more

WITH Philadelphia recently ranked as the No. 1 city for cellphone thefts, Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown is seeking to ban machines that dispense instant cash for electronic devices.

A bill she is introducing today would outlaw "automated purchasing machines," which many fear enable thieves to quickly unload their loot and pocket a handsome reward. Newer iPhones can fetch hundreds on the spot.

"Cellphone robberies are the crime of today, and far too many of them are turning violent," Reynolds Brown said in a statement. "We as a city cannot allow further incentives [to] entice criminal activity."

Philly's only machine is in the Franklin Mills Mall.

On Twitter: @SeanWalshDN
Blog: ph.ly/PhillyClout