Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golchha has instructed all deputy commissioners to act against every layer of the mobile theft network, from street thieves to organised receivers and resellers. The directive seeks to dismantle the organised ecosystem behind phone thefts in the capital.
Delhi Police is launching a coordinated strategy to dismantle the organised ecosystem behind mobile phone thefts in the national capital. Commissioner Satish Golchha recently directed all deputy commissioners of police to pursue action across every layer of the network—from street-level thieves to organised receivers and resellers. The directive states, “IMEI-change agents, particularly those active in the bustling Karol Bagh area, must be identified and face stringent legal action.”
Stolen phones are increasingly linked to a larger criminal economy. A senior officer said, “Beyond their monetary value, they contain sensitive personal data—financial information, photographs, conversations, and access to social media accounts—making them tools for fraud, identity theft, and cybercrime. Mobile theft is no longer just theft; it is a gateway to much larger crimes.”
The illegal trade extends beyond Delhi, with stolen phones routinely smuggled to West Bengal, Bihar, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Coordinated interstate operations and surprise checks are now mandated, including inspections of buses heading to Nepal and Bihar. Bus conductors and transport staff are being integrated into the intelligence network.
Karol Bagh has emerged as a major hub for IMEI manipulation before resale. Police are using CEIR (Central Equipment Identity Register) data to track devices, with special teams sharing resources for recovery drives. Efforts include simplifying SOPs and expediting the unblocking of recovered phones for quick return to owners, using options like superdari.
