The Catalonia police (Mossos d’Esquadra) have introduced a new online service to help return more than a thousand mobile phones seized during recent operations against criminal groups. Owners of stolen devices can now independently check if their phone is among the recovered items by using a special platform on the police website.
In July, police officers carried out a large-scale operation resulting in the arrest of 20 people linked to mobile phone theft and subsequent resale. The investigation led to the discovery and seizure of a significant number of stolen devices, which are now awaiting their rightful owners.
To find out if your phone is among the recovered items, you need to enter the device’s unique identification number — IMEI — into a special field on the police website. If the system confirms a match, the owner will need to contact law enforcement for further verification and to reclaim the phone.
The operation, which lasted about a year, targeted not only street thieves but also those involved in buying and reselling stolen gadgets. During the investigation, police discovered several apartments in the El Raval neighborhood of Barcelona where stolen phones were stored. Investigators established that criminal groups, mainly consisting of individuals from Pakistan, purchased devices for prices ranging from 150 to 500 euros before reselling them or using them for fraud.
Some of the perpetrators developed their own scheme, using stolen phones to access victims’ personal data. Through technical analysis and device signal tracking, police managed to trace both groups and halt their activities.
IMEI is a unique number assigned to every mobile phone. It allows you to determine the device model, country of manufacture, and other important information. If your phone was stolen, you can find your IMEI on the device’s box or through your accounts on Android and iOS platforms, even if you no longer have the device itself.
The Catalan police urge anyone who has fallen victim to mobile phone theft to use the new service. This will help speed up the process of returning devices and aid in the fight against crimes involving stolen electronics.
Authorities note that such initiatives contribute not only to the return of citizens’ property but also increase trust in law enforcement agencies. The police continue to investigate new cases and recommend keeping documents and packaging from mobile devices to simplify the search and return process in case of theft.
