Using software that cost just Rs 42,000, phone snatchers are changing the unique number
The mystery of stolen mobile phones going untraceable, which had left the Capital cops baffled, has finally been solved. It has been revealed that mobile thief gangs in Delhi have found a way to crack the phones' International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, which helps police trace the stolen units.
Using software that cost just Rs 42,000 and are available in various local markets, including Gaffar market, Lajpat Nagar, Palika Bazaar, and Nehru Place, mobile snatchers are easily giving slip to the authorities.
The matter came to light after the Shahadra police arrested three men for snatching, stealing, and robbing mobile phones. The senior police officers from the area had recently taken a note of the increased incidence of robbery and mobile phones snatching, and had stepped up the surveillance.
"On Sunday, a police team at a picket noticed a boy coming from the Keshav Chowk side on a motorcycle. On seeing the police team, he took an abrupt U-turn and tried to flee. The team, however, chased and nabbed him. He was identified as Furkan alias Golu, 23. He had several cases of robbery and snatching registered against him. He then disclosed the identity of his two receivers — Juber, 24, a sales executive in Reliance Jio, and Ziya-ul-Haq, 23, a mobile shop owner," DCP (Shahadra) Nupur Prasad said.
Furkan would pass on the phones to the other two, who then sold them at cheaper rates. Depending on the model and the availability, high-end phones were sold for as little as Rs 5,000-8,000. This attracted a lot of customers.
It turned out that before selling the phones, the two would change their IMEI numbers, which are used to check a phone's country of origin, the manufacturer, and its model number, rendering them untraceable.
DCP Prasad said: "First, the duo would unlock the pattern lock and access all the data in a phone. They would then erase this data, including cache and cookies, using a software. The phone would then be connected to a device bought from a local market, which changed its IMEI number electronically."
The accused, all of them Class VIII and X dropouts, had bought two softwares from a Central Delhi market for Rs 42,000. One software formatted and unlocked the robbed phones while the other electronically changed the original IMEI into a virtual IMEI. The entire procedure took just 10-15 minutes.
Police said this modus operandi poses a serious threat to the national security. A senior officer added that the accused have already sold over 100 phones after changing their IMEI number, and as many as 84 phones were seized from their possession. A laptop, a computer, and other electronic formatting devices were also recovered.
WHAT IS IMEI CODE
It is a unique 15-digit serial number that every mobile phone carries. It can be used to check information, including a phone's country of origin, its manufacturer, and model number.
How it works
When you declare your phone stolen or lost, the network provider blacklists the IMEI number. If the phone then tries to access the network, it gets blocked.
How to be safe
To find your IMEI number, type *#06# on the phone keyboard. It is also printed in the battery compartment. Before buying a phone, always check whether the IMEI number printed on the phone is the same as that is being shown electronically.
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