Police recover huge number of cell phones stolen at Shaky Beats Festival

ATLANTA - Atlanta police say they've recovered dozens of cellphones that were stolen from people attending the city's Shaky Beats Festival last weekend.

Officials told FOX 5 at least 69 phones were stolen. Some of the devices were taken right out of the victims' pockets.

Police say they were able to find the phones thanks to one of the victims of the thief. She was able to track her phone using her Find My iPhone application to a FedEx Store on Piedmont Road.

When she went to the store earlier that day, her phone rang inside a box in the store, she said.

Police say that most of the phones were on airplane mode or had their SIM cards removed.

For Jason Smith, one of the visitors to Shaky Beats and a victim of the thief, having his phone back is something special.

Jason originally thought he lost his phone, which was filled with pictures of his mom who has terminal cancer as well as voicemails she had left him.

"The phone is a material thing but the memories you can replace," he said.

He thought the phone was gone for good until he got the call from the Atlanta Police Department. He's thrilled to have it back, but he's got choice words for the thief.

"Don't take somebody's phone," he said. "Don't take anything from anyone, but if you're going to take something that is so unbelievably personal. You never know what they might be going through in their lives." 

Police are still working to determine where the phones were going and who is responsible for the crime.

They are asking for anyone who believes they may have lost a phone during Shakey Beats to contact Detective S.N. Krieger at snkieger@atlantaga.gov with a detailed description of the device and some evidence of ownership.