Mobilephone robbers learned to change IMEI no through YouTube

Police have busted a gang of mobile phone robbers who used to change the IMEI numbers of stolen. The gang of four learned the trick through YouTube tutorials. After this, they would sell the stolen phones with a new IMEI in the grey markets of the Capital. More than 35 cases of robberies and thefts have been revealed following the arrest.

The accused have been identified as Yusuf, Farman, Faizan and Shokin alias Kanta, and 35 high-end smartphones have been recovered from them. All of them were arrested from Gokulpuri area of northeast Delhi.

DCP northeast, Ajit Singla, said that after the rise of thefts and robbery cases, vigil was stepped up and patrolling in public transport and local areas was also increased. During one such random search in a bus, one person, on seeing the police team, jumped out of the moving bus and tried to escape. "He was chased and caught. Upon search, a high-end smartphone was recovered from him. He was identified as Yusuf. He along with two other associates, Shokin and Faizan, used to change the IMEI of stolen phones. Their aide Farman used to run a mobile shop in Mustafabad," said Singla.

In a raid, Farman was also arrested and 32 IMEI-changed stolen mobile phones were recovered. During interrogation, Farman revealed that he deals in stolen mobile phones. He would receive them from the trio and then change the IMEI number. "Farman said he learnt to change the IMEI number from Youtube and procured the software required from Nehru Place. On tip-offs from Farman and Yusuf, Faizan and Shokin were also arrested," the DCP informed.

A hard disk containing the software used for changing the IMEI of stolen mobile phones has also been recovered, police said.

THROUGH TUTORIALS

• A gang of four would steal mobilephones and change the IMEI number, which meant that the phones couldn’t be tracked.
   
• They learned how to do this through YouTube tutorials. One of the accused had bought the software through which it was done.