Ludhiana: Stolen mobile phones worth over ₹12 lakh returned to owners after 2 years

The Ludhiana Rural Police on Tuesday returned 50 stolen and snatched smartphones—collectively valued at over ₹12 lakh—to their rightful owners. The devices had been lost to theft and burglary over the past two years (in 2024 and 2025) and many had been circulated through secondary markets before being traced.

Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Ankur Gupta said the operation was made possible through the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) portal, a national database that allows tracking of lost or stolen mobile phones using their unique IMEI numbers.

“Mobile phones today are critical to our privacy and security. Losing one is more than just a financial setback—it’s a threat to personal data. There have been cases where stolen phones were used to access and misuse private information. To prevent this, our technical support team was directed to intensify efforts to recover the stolen devices,” said SSP Gupta.

Some of the recovered phones had been in use by unsuspecting secondary buyers, the SSP said. He urged the public to report lost or stolen mobile phones to the police without delay.

“Timely reporting can prevent misuse of personal data and increase the chances of recovery,” SSP Gupta added.

3 arrested in ₹5,000 robbery; police recover stolen items

Three men were arrested by Division Number 6 police seven days after they robbed a man of ₹5,000 near Chet Singh Nagar. The police recovered one bike, seven mobile phones, sharp-edged weapons, and ₹4,500 in cash from them.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Jaswant Singh alias Jass from Lohara Colony, Shimlapuri, and Bablu Mehta and Sahil Kumar from Gurbachan Nagar, Lohara, police said.

According to additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP, City 2) Karanveer Singh, the robbery occurred on April 29 when the complainant, Davinder Chaudhary from Daba Road, was returning to his workplace after collecting ₹18,000 from a business associate. He kept ₹5,000 in his shirt pocket and the remaining amount in the scooter’s boot.

While near Chet Singh Nagar, Chaudhary was intercepted by three bike-borne miscreants who threatened him with a sharp-edged weapon and stole the cash.

The police have registered an FIR under Section 304 (2) of the BNS and initiated an investigation, which led to the arrest of the suspects.

ADCP Singh said that the accused have confessed to being involved in seven similar robberies. A probe is on in the case.