Tales of Phone thefts

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Every second person you’d meet chances are they’d surely know of someone who’s been a victim of cellphone theft. A recent news report says that atleast 30 cellphones are stolen in the capital everyday and 966 mobile phones were stolen from various parts of the capital in January itself.
Here Delhiites share stories of losing their phones, and the hope of ever getting it back.

Narrates Vikram Oberoi, a law student. “Considering that my phone was an expensive Blackberry gifted by my brother, I was absolutely petrified. And within minutes of having discovered the loss I rushed to get an FIR lodged at the police station in the vicinity of the market where the theft had occurred, in the hope that the thief may still be around and by stepping up patrol cops could still track him. But it didn’t take me long to realise that it wasn’t going to happen. The actual reporting took about an hour and because it was a Sunday they said they would put the number on surveillance by the next working day only. And all it takes is a couple of minutes to switch the phone off and discard the SIM card, so I knew it was gone forever.”
Vikram adds further, “Another shocking fact is that the cops force you to complain for a “misplaced\dropped cellphone” and not a theft, claiming that even if your stolen phone is found it would take you rounds of the Court to claim it and therein do most of us fall into the trap. They are not entitled to anything for a “misplaced item”, but have to show the development in case of a theft and they smartly avoid it.”
It may be this discouraging nature of the police that dissuades people from lodging a complaint of theft of their cellphones. The cops, who often end up giving unwanted advice, far from, take it seriously.
Shares Shireen Tabassum, investment banker, “I don’t even remember how many phones I lost. But what I do remember is the one follow-up that I did with the Delhi Police. I must have dropped my phone on the way, and when I went back within few minutes, it wasn’t there. When I filed a complaint, I learned about the cellphone recovery cell. I pursued them for months but only got assurances. They told me once that they tracked my phone, but when I went, I was told that now my phone couldn’t be tracked as it had moved out of NCR region. I am disappointed with the episode; the cops must upgrade its technical know-how. What’s even more irritating is the advice that I got to buy a cheap phone next time.”
If you have left your phone in an autorickshaw, or at a shop, chances are slim that you’d get it back. Asking around isn’t much of help either, and by the time cops take action, it’s too late. Nisha Somaia, entrepreneur shares her horrid experience. “I left my phone in the toilet in a club. I went back in a minute later and it was gone, I called on my number, someone picked up but did not speak. The worst was, it was a brand new phone and secondly, I had no data back up. And the big thing these days is that we remember ‘NO’ numbers.”