City Councilor Tito Jackson (Roxbury) is calling for regulations to require stores that buy second-hand cell phones to take steps to help cut down on the trade in stolen phones and give police access to their sales records.

At today's council meeting, Jackson said the theft of fancier phones - and headphones - is no laughing matter: "It's not only electronics, not only petty theft, but people are actually getting hurt." He said BPD statistics show a 207% increase in iPhone thefts between 2010 and 2013.

Jackson's proposal would require stores to document the history of phones they buy and require two forms of ID and a photo from sellers.

He said currently, any thief can easily fence a phone right on Winter Street downtown for $150 or so.

The council agreed to hold a hearing on his proposal.