More than 8000 mobile phones to their owners in 2 months

Mumbai Police had launched a campaign in June this year to prioritise and focus on the return of stolen mobile phones across the city. In just two months, from June 18 to August 21 this year, more than 8000 mobile phones have been returned to various police stations and then to their owners.

This data shows that on an average, around 125 mobile phones were returned and recovered per day. The practice of tracking mobile phones through IMEI has been going on for a long time, but now an initiative launched by the Department of Telecommunications, the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR), is helping in tracking stolen mobile phones continuously, whether they are being used within the state or in other states.

Since July, special programmes have been organised at various police stations across Mumbai where hundreds of mobile phones have been returned to their owners who had either found them 'accidentally' or had been sold by someone without knowing that they were stolen handsets.

Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti has directed all zones of Mumbai Police to focus on the issue. After getting the IMEI information of stolen phones, trace the current user using CEIR and then contact them to return the phone. Each zonal DCP and then each respective police station will have a dedicated team working on the issue.