Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wants harsher penalties for...

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wants harsher penalties for cellphone thieves, he said Tuesday. He touted the Mobile Device Theft Deterrence Act that he’s reintroducing. “This legislation will make it a federal crime to tamper with a phone’s identification number, putting teeth into our efforts to build a national stolen cell phone registry, and deter cell phone theft in the future,” Schumer said in a news release (http://1.usa.gov/1eNQXpv). “Bolstering the national stolen phone database that just got up and running at the end of last year with my legislation means we will finally have the tools to hang-up on would-be smart phone thieves who now prey on Westchester County residents.” AT&T Executive Vice President-Federal Relations Tim McKone called the legislation “a critical component in helping law enforcement and wireless carriers address the growing issue of stolen devices.”