Football yobs traced via mobile phone

Police sent text messages asking for information about soccer riot

In a unique example of tracking criminal activity using mobile phone location details, Dutch police have managed to nab five hooligans simply by sending them text messages asking about a riot that occurred at a football stadium.

The police requested the mobile phone details of supporters that had attended a match between rival clubs Ajax and Feyenoord in Rotterdam at which serious rioting had occurred.

Phone operators supplied 17,000 numbers which were then used to send a text message asking for more information about the riots.

Phone companies handed over the numbers of people who were in or around Feyenoord's Kuip stadium on the day of the match, which were traceable using broadcasting masts in the area. The names of the mobile phone owners were not supplied.

As a result four suspects contacted police, and a fifth turned himself in directly. It is assumed that they did so because they knew the police already had video evidence to back up their search for offenders.

Privacy groups expressed concern at the video images being posted on the internet, but police said that the action had resulted in 100 arrests.

Meanwhile Ajax and Feyenoord have stated that the next time supporters riot at a meeting of the two clubs, all visiting supporters for both sides will be banned from future meetings for five years.

Supporters rioted during and after the 17 April match last year, which Ajax won 3-2. Two train carriages were vandalised beyond repair, 43 supporters were arrested, and 47 police officers and an unknown number of fans were injured.