Bengaluru, October 29:
Police have exposed a gang involved in systematically stealing mobile phones from bus passengers across the city, leaving officers stunned by the organized nature of the operation. The gang primarily targeted crowded buses, where members would work in coordination—one distracting the passengers while others swiftly stole phones and passed them down the line.
The breakthrough came when staff at the police command center began tracking missing mobile phones through the CEIR (Central Equipment Identity Register) portal, a government platform used to trace lost or stolen devices. When victims filed complaints, police uploaded the IMEI numbers of the missing phones into the CEIR system. The portal then automatically alerted police whenever any SIM card was inserted into those devices, revealing the phone’s activity and location.
During a series of follow-up operations based on CEIR alerts, police traced 894 missing phones. Continuing the investigation, they eventually seized a total of 1,949 stolen mobile phones, valued at ₹3.36 crore, and arrested 42 suspects linked to the theft network.
According to the police, many of the stolen phones eventually ended up in the second-hand mobile market. Buyers, unaware or careless about purchase records, were purchasing phones without proper documentation, making it easier for the stolen devices to circulate.
Authorities have now issued a strict warning to the public:
Do not buy second-hand mobile phones without proper purchase receipts and ID proof from the seller.
A large number of recovered smartphones were traced back to individuals who had bought them cheaply from thieves or unverified dealers.
Police emphasized that purchasing a stolen phone can lead to legal trouble for buyers. Efforts are being intensified to crack down on similar theft networks operating in public transport routes and busy market areas.