Commuters near Naroda Patiya handed over two thieves to cops, who used to change the unique IMEI numbers of stolen phones to make them untraceable.
If you thought that the IMEI (international mobile equipment identity) of your expensive cellphone can help recover it if it is stolen, then here's a shocker. Police on Friday busted a gang which specialises in changing the unique IMEI number of stolen mobile phones before using or selling them.
On Friday, two criminals who were allegedly trying to snatch money and a mobile phone from a traveler on the national highway at Naroda Patiya were caught by other passengers. Later, the criminals were handed over to the Naroda police who found that the two men were members of a gang that specialised in stealing and selling expensive mobile phones after changing their IMEI numbers.
Harilal Rawat, a resident of Udaipur, had got down from a luxury bus at Naroda Patia on Friday. Soon after, four men attacked him from behind. The gang beat up Rawat and tried to snatch cash and a mobile phone from his pockets.
Other passengers and passersby came to his aid and two of the four criminals were caught and handed over to the Naroda police. The two have been identified as Mahendra Parmar and Viral Parmar, both residents of Mahajaniya Vaas, Kubernagar.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the two men, along with the two other members of the gang, used to target drunks either early in the morning or late in the night in Chharanagar area. They used to take away cash and mobile phones from drunken people who were reluctant to lodge a complaint as they were inebriated.
The gang members developed close ties with some mobile phone experts. According to Naroda police, the gang somehow managed to change the unique IMEI numbers of the stolen phones. The IMEI number is considered unchangeable and, for this reason, very reliable in tracing stolen phones.
The police are now looking for the two other members of the gang as well as those who used to help them in changing the IMEI numbers of stolen phones.
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