Date:17/02/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/02/17/stories/2006021717670300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

53 stolen cellphones restored to owners

Staff Reporter

Check with police before buying second hand instruments: Nataraj

RINGING BACK THE OLD: C. Sylendra Babu, Joint Commissioner of Police, South, taking a look at some of the recovered cellular phones at the Commissionerate on Thursday. — Photo: M.Vedhan

CHENNAI: Using the unique 15-digit International Mobile Equipment Index (IMEI) number, the Chennai police recovered 53 stolen cellular phones and restored them to their owners on Thursday.

Special team

R. Nataraj, Greater Chennai Police Commissioner, who returned the instruments at the Police Commissionerate, said the recovery was effected by a special team headed by S. Murugan, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Kilpauk.

Acting on complaints received through e-mail, the police traced the stolen instruments with the help of cellular phone service providers.

One held

Mr. Nataraj also said that thieves who targeted three mobile phone shops had been traced to Rajasthan. One of the gang members had been arrested and the police were on the lookout for the others.

Complaints relating to loss of cellular phones can be e-mailed to cop@vsnl.net, he said. The Commissioner warned the people to check with the police before buying second hand instruments.

Jewellery, cash recovered

The police also recovered stolen property worth Rs. 26 lakh, including jewellery and cash. Mr Nataraj said the Kilpauk police arrested two people who took away jewellery and cash totally valued at Rs. 14 lakh from the house of a plywood dealer on Sunday last. After receiving the complaint on Monday morning, the police arrested the offenders within seven hours.

Goondas Act

Mr. Nataraj said that in the past one and half months 53 persons had been detained under the Goondas Act, including eight in the last week. Answering a question on Internet parlours, Mr. Nataraj said the police had simplified the procedures while applying for a licence.

He said that following complaints from a section of residents in Besant Nagar, the police raided a video game parlour and closed it down. Mr. Nataraj warned of stern action against those running video game parlours, which were not legal.