Over 700 mobiles stolen in Vellore dist between Jan-March

VELLORE: A total of 760 mobile phones were either stolen or reported missing between January and middle of March in Vellore, Katpadi and Gudiyattam police sub-divisions.

A month ago, the phone of a journalist was snatched by a duo on bike at Abdullapuram on the outskirts of Vellore. Though the loser chased for some distance, the snatchers managed to escape. Food delivery executives are loath to venture into added areas around Vellore at night following an incident in which the mobile phone of an executive mounted on the handlebar of his two-wheeler was snatched away.

Sources said that in most phone cases, the maximum action by police is just issuing a CSR for the complaint received.

Replying to this, sources in the police department said, “Snatched phones become inactive for around two months and police cannot wait for the gadget to become active as it cannot be predicted. Unless a phone becomes active it is difficult to trace it.”

“If snatched phones are within the State or even in a neighbouring state, then retrieving them is not an issue. The issue becomes complicated when stolen phones are moved beyond such limits. These are the reasons why police are reluctant to register FIRs,” sources explained

An example to this fact is the case of 13 mobile phones stolen in Maharashtra being recovered in Vellore recently. They were handed over to Maharashtra police, who had come for this purpose.

As a senior officer, on condition of anonymity, said, “the best way to safeguard your phone is to ensure that you do not use it while riding or driving. Similarly, it is better to avoid using phones while on the footboard of a bus or train.”

Vellore SP S Rajesh Kannan could not be reached for comment.