The police have given some tips that would help mobile phone users avoid theft of their expensive phones, recover their lost phone or stay out of trouble.
Be cautious in lending your mobile phones to strangers. Avoid using the phone in dark secluded places. Don’t put the phone in silent mode, else put it in vibrate mode. Know the IMEI of your phone. Dial *#06# to find out the number. Police complaints with IMEI number increase chance of detecting the stolen mobile.
Installing free mobile applications such as anti-theft trackers could help trace the mobile phone to some extent.
Such applications have the option to register contact numbers of two or more close circle friends, who will receive an alert when a SIM card is removed from the phone.
It also sends the mobile number that the new user has started using to the registered contacts. In most mobile thefts, the victims face difficulty in informing their friends about the incident. Lodging a police complaint with the new number in the phone also increases chances of detection. Block the SIM cards immediately and inform the telecom service provider immediately. This saves the victim even if the phone is misused by miscreants. Recently, a policeman here was in soup for failing to block a SIM card in his stolen mobile, which was used by accused in a murder in Mumbai. Some don’t lodge a police complaint on stolen phones, feeling that it cannot be got back or because it is not an expensive phone.
But the police insist that the victim brings it to their notice to ensure that misuse of their phone or the number does not land them (victims) in trouble.
