In a major win against mobile theft, Mumbai Police hand over 982 stolen phones to rightful owners

Police officials handed over the recovered phones to their rightful owners on Saturday. PIC/MUMBAI POLICE

In a significant breakthrough, the Mumbai Police have recovered 982 stolen mobile phones valued at over Rs 1.46 crore as part of an intensive operation under the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) portal. Zone 12 police successfully traced and confiscated the devices reported stolen across various police stations, including Dindoshi, Kasturba, Samta Nagar, Kurar, Dindoshi, Bhandup, and Aarey.

The operation targeted mobile thefts, gadget snatching, and related crimes between 2019 and 2024. Police officials handed over the recovered phones to their rightful owners recovered in April and May 2026 on Saturday. This achievement highlights the effectiveness of the CEIR system in curbing mobile phone thefts and restoring property to citizens.

The press note issued by Police Inspector S Appa commended the coordinated efforts of multiple teams involved in the drive. This major success is expected to act as a strong deterrent against thefts in the city.

RPF nabs mobile thief at Andheri, cracks seven cases under Operation Yatri Suraksha

Under "Operation Yatri Suraksha," the RPF at Andheri Railway Station cracked a string of mobile theft cases in April, arresting a 30-year-old accused involved in multiple incidents across Mumbai's suburban rail network.

Acting on a series of complaints, the RPF's CPDS team at Andheri carried out sustained surveillance using CCTV footage and Facial Recognition System (FRS) technology. On April 25, the team apprehended the suspect from the station premises.

The accused has been identified as Laxmi Kant Rajendra Prasad (30), a resident of Jalaun district in Uttar Pradesh.

During interrogation, the accused confessed to stealing five mobile phones from Andheri station on different dates:

January 8 - iPhone (Rs 82,900)
January 10 - iPhone (Rs 84,000)
April 8 - iPhone (Rs 82,000)
April 22 - Nothing phone (Rs 13,700)
April 25 - Motorola phone (Rs 31,000).

Further questioning revealed his involvement in two additional theft cases registered by the Government Railway Police (GRP):

Mumbai Central (MMCT) - iPhone theft worth Rs 90,000 (April 7, 2026)
Borivali (BVI) - iPhone theft worth Rs 1,00,980 (December 23, 2025).

The RPF has recovered seven stolen mobile phones, including five iPhones, with a total value of Rs 4,84,580.