Over 94,000 phones reported stolen to Delhi Police blacklisted

More than 94,000 mobile phones that were reported stolen to the Delhi Police through first information reports (FIRs) have been blacklisted and their International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers blocked by the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR), a project the central government launched last year

More than 94,000 mobile phones that were reported stolen to the Delhi Police through first information reports (FIRs) have been blacklisted and their International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers blocked by the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR), a project the central government launched last year.

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This means that the stolen phones may have become useless for the thieves or the people who illegally purchased them, as handsets of blocked IMEI numbers cannot access any network anywhere in India, said senior police officers privy to the development.

“In case the thief or the new user of the stolen phone tries to activate any new SIM card in the blacklisted phone, the CEIR portal will share data with the police to help them trace the stolen phone. It will also destabilize the gray market of stolen phones. As of now, the portal is open for Delhi and Mumbai but because of its effectiveness, the facility is being extended across India,” said a senior police officer, who did not want to be named.

According to the officer, a total of 94,204 cellphones have been blacklisted through the CEIR portal between May 20 and July 14 this year. The Delhi Police shared the data of these stolen phones with the portal through their zonal integrated police network (ZIPNET) system. Owners file FIRs about their stolen phones either at the police station or through the various e-FIR filing schemes launched by the city police.

“The ZIPNET collects the IMEIs of the stolen phones from the FIRs and passes them to the CEIR that blocks them after proper verification,” the officer said adding that the CEIR project was launched with a view to check the resale of lost or stolen phones and discouraging snatching and thefts of mobile phones.