Superintendent of Police S. Satish Kumar handing over a recovered mobile phone to an owner during the mobile recovery mela at Puttaparthi in Sri Sathya Sai district on Monday. By Arrangement
| Photo Credit: By Arrangement
Sri Sathya Sai district police have recovered 161 lost and stolen mobile phones worth ₹35.54 lakh and returned them to their owners, bringing the total number of phones recovered this year to 417. The value of the recovered devices since January has crossed ₹1 crore.
Addressing a press conference here on Monday, after conducting the Mobile Recovery Mela, Superintendent of Police (SP) S. Satish Kumar said that people should immediately report missing phones through the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) portal, providing the IMEI number, mobile number, date and place of loss, and purchase details. Those who are unfamiliar with the process can approach the nearest police station for assistance.
The SP said that 65% of phones were lost while boarding buses or in crowded markets, while 20% were dropped during travel or while walking. Another 15% involved cases where owners left their phones charging or misplaced them. Mr. Satish Kumar warned the public against buying second-hand phones without bills, particularly from strangers or at unusually low prices. Buyers should verify the IMEI through CEIR’s ‘Know Your Mobile facility’, he said.
The SP appealed to the public to install CCTV cameras and use the Lock House Monitoring System (LHMS) when leaving homes vacant.
Published – August 24, 2026 06:37 pm IST