CCB sleuths unearth smartphone theft ring, recover 512 devices

BENGALURU: As much as Rs 78.84 lakh worth of stolen smartphones have been recovered by sleuths of the Central Crime Branch. The loot is the handiwork of a gang of eight robbers. Of the eight, the police have arrested two habitual offenders. The accused were committing mobile phone thefts in different parts of the city. Later, they would sell the stolen phones to their agents in Mumbai, Delhi and Hyderabad, which would be used for illegal activities. The police have recovered 512 smartphones from the duo.

The suspects are identified as Afzal Pasha (27) of Padarayanapura, and Ezar Sardar (40) of Shivanagar. The two were earlier arrested and sent to jail. After coming out, they continued their criminal activities. Older cases against the duo have already been registered in Chamarajpet, Upparpet, Magadi Road, Kamakshipalya, Varthur and Ashoknagar police stations.

Fearing that they would be caught if the stolen mobiles were sold here, the accused, through their associates, were selling them in neighbouring states. The accused were also stealing phones from people in crowded areas by picking them from their pockets.

Of the 512 phones, the police have recovered the details of 110 owners, while the IMEI numbers of the remaining phones have been uploaded on the Bengaluru police website. Anyone who has lost his or her phone can approach the police by furnishing documents of the IMEI numbers.Meanwhile, the police are on the lookout for the remaining absconding accused.