Ghaziabad Police have marked a significant success in the fight against digital-age theft. In the Trans Hindon zone, officers announced the recovery of 265 stolen, lost, and looted mobile phones, with an estimated collective value exceeding Rs 1 crore. The operation was powered by the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) portal, which tracks devices through their International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers. Uniquely, more than 200 devices did not require retrieval by force or fieldwork—owners couriered them directly to police stations after being informed.
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Technology at the Core
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Trans Hindon) Nimish Patil emphasized that the CEIR portal formed the backbone of the effort. By monitoring flagged IMEI numbers, the police could trace phones being operated across multiple states, including Haryana, Delhi, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu. Each police station in the zone formed a specialized team to focus on mobile recovery, showcasing how technology, when embedded in daily policing, can change outcomes.
Coordination Across Seven Police Stations
The large-scale recovery was a coordinated operation spanning seven police jurisdictions. Indirapuram traced 50 devices, Kaushambi recovered 54, Khoda 30, Sahibabad 32, Link Road 35, Shalimar Garden 30, and Tila Mod 34. Of the total, 241 were reported as lost, 15 as stolen, and nine as looted. The success highlighted the value of inter-station cooperation and the efficiency of centralized digital monitoring.
Handing Over the Phones
On Sunday, police formally returned the recovered devices to their rightful owners during a gathering at the police lines. Notices had been issued, asking owners to come forward. Interestingly, over 200 individuals chose to courier their phones back, acknowledging they were using lost or stolen handsets. Officials revealed that the Trans Hindon police have already recovered more than 600 devices to date, with the campaign continuing.
“When technology meets community cooperation, law enforcement becomes sharper and more effective,” a senior officer said, reflecting on how digital tools and citizen participation are reshaping modern policing.