SP: Bapatla Mobile Recovery Rate Rises to 70%
The SP cautioned the public against purchasing second-hand mobile phones from suspicious persons and warned mobile shop owners not to unlock used phones without proper proof of ownership
VIJAYAWADA: Bapatla district police on Tuesday handed over 166 recovered mobile phones worth ₹33.20 lakh to their owners under the fifth phase of the mobile recovery and distribution programme.
Addressing the programme at the Bapatla District Police Headquarters, superintendent of police B. Uma Maheshwar said the district police had so far recovered 1,125 mobile phones worth nearly ₹2.25 crore in five phases. He said the mobile recovery rate in the district had increased significantly from 30 per cent to around 70 per cent after the launch of the dedicated recovery initiative.
The SP said mobile phones had become an essential part of modern life, with banking, education, employment, business and personal communication heavily dependent on them. He said people faced severe distress when they lost their phones and, to address the issue effectively, the district police had formed a special technical team led by an inspector-rank officer.
He said the special team, in coordination with local police stations, had been tracing and recovering lost and stolen phones not only within the district but also from other districts and states with support from the respective police departments.
The SP cautioned the public against purchasing second-hand mobile phones from suspicious persons and warned mobile shop owners not to unlock used phones without proper proof of ownership.
He advised citizens to verify IMEI numbers through the CEIR portal or KYM app before buying second-hand devices. He further warned that buying or selling stolen mobile phones was a punishable offence and criminal cases would be registered against violators.
The SP appreciated the efforts of the special team led by Social Media CI V. Suryanarayana and urged them to strive towards achieving 100 per cent recovery.
Victims who received their recovered phones expressed gratitude to the district police and the SP for their efforts.
Repalle, Bapatla, Chirala and CCS DSPs, police officials and IT core staff participated in the programme.