Delhi Police returns 12,600 stolen, lost mobile phones to owners
The Delhi Police on Tuesday handed over more than 12,600 stolen and lost mobile phones to their rightful owners under its special initiative ‘Operation Vishwas’.
The phones were returned during a program held at the Multi-Purpose Hall of Delhi University’s North Campus in the presence of Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha.
According to the police, more than 19,000 mobile phones have been recovered in the last 45 days with the help of the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) portal, pushing the recovery rate of stolen and lost phones to 74 per cent in 2026, compared to 12 per cent in 2025 and five per cent in 2024. “Dedicated police teams across all districts worked for the last few months to trace and recover the devices, travelling to several states during the operation,” a senior police officer said. “I witnessed the reason of citizens, receiving their phones back. This device, carries a person’s world — photographs, contacts, banking access, work, and memories. Losing it, creates anxiety, and distress.
The smile, the relief, and the confidence, that the system has responded, – that is what, good policing, should deliver. And that is why, Operation Vishwas, deserves genuine appreciation,” the LG said while addressing the gathering. “…technology alone, cannot produce such results. Behind every recovered phone, is the hard work, of police personnel — constables, following leads, officers, coordinating verification, technical teams, analysing inputs, and district units, tracking movement,” he said, adding that the operation also sent a message to offenders that police systems were becoming smarter, faster and more connected.
Delhi Police Chief Satish Golcha said the primary aim of Delhi Police was not limited to registering complaints but ensuring action that leads to recovery and restoration of stolen property.
“Behind every recovered phone lies countless hours of effort, coordination and dedication of police teams,” he said.
During the programme, the LG also inaugurated a traffic exhibition van aimed at spreading awareness about road safety and launched a traffic safety guide booklet.
