Cell phones topped among the most stolen items in Delhi this year. In an average, Delhi police register about 120 theft cases across the city.  It is reported over 20,200 cell phones were stolen this year. The number could be more as many do not file a FIR. Vehicles stood second in most theft items with an average of 87 per day.

 Guarding a vehicle is a much bigger task when it compares to a mobile phone which can be held in hand. Looting includes cars, motorcycles, scooters and nearly 15,900 vehicles were listed in police records in the first half of 2016. Battery operated e-rickshaws were not exempted in the list by the thieves.

According to police reports, two-wheelers are the most stolen vehicles and nearly 1,500-2,000 are recovered every year.  Most of the cell phone theft cases were lodged in metro police stations in Delhi. A sum of 4800 FIR’s was filed in metro stations out of which 3,600 were mobile phones.

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A senior officer said that “Cell phones, wallet and jewellery were the three most common items stolen inside the metro. This year, police arrested around 168 pickpockets from inside the metro. At least 40 of them were women. Women don’t normally steal cell phones. All those we arrested this year worked in groups. They are more into stealing wallets and jewellery.”

Delhi has an explosive market for used cell phones with hundreds of shops in localities like Gaffar market. There is a team of experts who can change the phone’s unique identity IMEI number, with which the police can track the phone. A gang of six men were caught with 448 cell phones from 16 different states, 310 of it includes Apple phones.

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Police statistics shows the increase in motor vehicle thefts each year. Last year, count took a raise in the graph with 31,114 vehicles when compared to 22,219 vehicles is 2014. Carjackers prefer not to sell vehicles in Delhi, they opt to smuggle out and reach far off places in the northeast of the country. Last week, police arrested 3 men natives of Bareilly, who came down to Delhi for stealing motorcycles.