Chittoor cops recover mobiles worth Rs. 6.51 cr
Chittoor SP VN Manikanta Chandolu and his team with the recovered mobile phones on Saturday
Chittoor: Chittoor district police have achieved a significant milestone by recovering a total of 3,085 mobile phones valued at Rs 6.51 crore over 10 phases. This remarkable accomplishment in-cludes the latest recovery of 450 mobile phones worth approximately Rs.90 lakhs, handed over to their rightful owners during a ‘Mobile Recovery Mela at the Chittoor police guest house by SP V N Manikanta Chandolu on Saturday.
The recovery effort, powered by the Chatbot (9440900004) and the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) portal, has set an example for citizen-centric policing. The initiative has suc-cessfully traced phones from states including Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Maharashtra, as well as international locations like Dubai.
In one noteworthy case, the CEIR portal helped retrieve a phone reported lost in Madanapalle. The Chittoor Chatbot team acted promptly and brought the phone back from Dubai, returning it to the relieved owner. Such examples highlight the effectiveness of the technology-backed initiative.
The phased recovery programme has shown consistent progress, starting with 500 phones in the first phase and culminating in 450 phones in the tenth phase. To cater to those unable to travel, the police have employed courier services to deliver recovered phones directly to the owners’ homes.
SP Manikanta commended the efforts of crime inspector Uma Maheswara Rao and the Chat-bot team, comprising officers Bapuji, Srinivasan and Raghuraman. He emphasised that the Chatbot/CEIR services simplify the process for citizens to report lost phones. By messaging ‘HI’ or ‘HELP’ to 9440900004 on WhatsApp, users can file complaints without visiting a police station or registering an FIR.
Highlighting the public-friendly nature of the initiative, the SP encouraged citizens to make use of these services and assured that pending recoveries are being prioritised for resolution. With this initiative, the Chittoor Police continue to set a benchmark in efficient and proactive service delivery, further strengthening public trust and confidence.