The Bapatla district police recovered and returned 201 stolen mobile phones worth nearly ₹40.20 crore on Tuesday during a distribution program at the SP camp office.
Handing over the recovered devices to the victims, Superintendent of Police (SP) B. Umamaheshwar said a dedicated police team has been set up in the district to achieve 100% recovery of lost or stolen phones.
Addressing the media, the SP said that mobile phones have become an essential part of modern life as people store personal data, banking information and passwords on their devices. Losing a phone often means losing access to critical information, so quick recovery is extremely important, he added.
He said the district’s core IT team, working in coordination with local police stations, traced the phones using advanced technology and complaints registered through the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) portal and police stations.
According to the police, a special search conducted during the last three months led to the recovery of 806 mobile phones worth ₹1.61 crore, increasing the recovery rate to nearly 60 per cent from the earlier 30 per cent.
SP called on citizens to report complaints in case of lost mobile phone.
Published – 17 March 2026 18:43 IST
