New Delhi: In a commendable month-long initiative, the Delhi Police successfully recovered 76 lost mobile phones utilizing the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) portal, which is designed to trace and block lost or stolen devices, officials announced on Saturday.
The recovered phones were either reported lost or documented in theft-related electronic First Information Reports (e-FIRs). The recovery process involved advanced cyber surveillance and tracking based on the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers, according to a police spokesperson.
“We successfully traced 76 mobile phones over the past month and returned them to their rightful owners. This operation was made possible through a strategic combination of cyber surveillance and IMEI tracking,” stated Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Devesh Kumar Mahla.
दिल्ली पुलिस के @DCPNewDelhi की टीमों ने 2021-2024 के बीच खोए हुए 76 मोबाइल फोनों को बरामद किया
— Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) May 17, 2025
CEIR पोर्टल के माध्यम से मोबाइल ट्रैकिंग कर खोये मोबाइल फोनों तक मात्र 1 महीने की मेहनत में पहुंची पुलिस
बरामद मोबाइल फोन सभी शिकायतकर्ताओं को लौटाए गए #DPUpdates pic.twitter.com/eAa8jC5mSL
The recoveries were executed by various police stations throughout the New Delhi district. The Kartavya Path police station led the effort with 38 recoveries, followed by Tughlak Road with 10, Tilak Marg with seven, and four each from Chanakyapuri and South Avenue. Additionally, three phones were recovered by Barakhamba Road, North Avenue, and Connaught Place, while Mandir Marg accounted for two recoveries, and one each was retrieved from Parliament Street and the Cyber Police Station.
Notably, some of the recovered devices had been reported missing as far back as three years, while others were lost just a week prior to their recovery, the officer added.
The police are currently working to track approximately 300 more mobile phones and anticipate returning them to their owners within the next month.
“We employed innovative methods to achieve these results. All individuals who received their phones back had simply filed a lost report and placed their trust in the police to take action,” Mahla remarked.
The success of this recovery operation has motivated the police to enhance their utilization of the CEIR portal and to promote public awareness regarding digital complaint.
“Developed by the Department of Telecommunications, the CEIR platform enables users to report lost or stolen mobile phones. Once reported, these devices are blocked to prevent unauthorized use and can be tracked if they connect to a network, he added.”
