40 mobiles stolen every day in city

DELHI POLICE OFFICERS CONCEDE THAT THE PROCESS OF RECOVERING THESE CELLPHONES IS TOUGH AND REQUIRES TOO MUCH PAPERWORK

NEW DELHI: While most people merely block their SIMs, buy new handsets and get on with their lives after a cellphone theft, of the 40 cases reported to Delhi Police every day on an average, only four lead to retrieval of the mobiles. That’s a mere one-in-ten recovery rate.

Cases of phone theft act as a precursor to most instances of identity theft, e-fraud and cyber crime, police officials said.

After the ministry of home affairs issued an advisory to all state police forces in February, making the registration of FIRs in cases pertaining to mobile thefts mandatory, the number of reported cases has gone up significantly.

According to Delhi Police statistics, 1,123 cases of stolen phones were lodged in 2011, while the figure was 1,205 the following year. In 2013, the number shot up to 3,610. However, owing to the government advisory, as many as 7,159 cases were registered till June 30 this year.

However, recovery of these phones still remains a problem.

“The procedure is cumbersome and simply involves too much paperwork,” admitted a senior police officer.

“Honestly, the only instances a missing phone is put on tracking is when its user has suspected links to a terror organisation, is wanted in a heinous crime, or knows a police official senior enough to push his or her case,” another officer said.

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