News
Mobile phones lost or stolen by the thousands
View(s):By Sohan Vipulananda
Theft of mobile phones has increased in the wake of the economic collapse and about 7,000 phones have been recovered this month, the telecom regulator reported.
The police and the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) have jointly worked to recover the mobile phones.
Mrs. H.P.M. Pathirana, the deputy director for compliance at TRCSL said the agency detected nearly 20,000 phones in the first nine months of this year and 16,000 last year.
Phone accessories on display at a footpath stall in Pettah. Pic by Reka Tharangani
A stolen or misplaced mobile phone can be recovered through a system operated by the police. The TRCSL and telecom operators will assist when necessary.
In the event of a crime such as blackmail or threat of harm, a special court order should be handed to the TRCSL for it to try to detect the device.
Authorities advise disconnecting the SIM immediately when a phone is lost or stolen.
To trace and detect the phone, a complaint has to be filed at police stations, giving the correct International Mobile Equipment Identity number, (IMEI). They will send the information to TRCSL through a VPN.
Mrs. Pathirana said people should avoid wasting their time and money by visiting the TRCSL. Instead, they can go online at www.ineed.police.lk and create an account to file a complaint, or go to the nearest police station.
There are 30 million subscribers among the 22 million people of Sri Lanka. The teledensity is 135%.
“Telecommunications has become a blessing, sometimes a curse if you allow it to control your life,” Mrs Pathirana said.
A mobile phone is not a safe place to store personal and confidential information such as bank account numbers and passwords.
Mobile phone users should think carefully before storing information and take necessary precautions such as using a two-step verification and one time password (OTP) access.
Mrs. Pathirana also advises those accessing social media through their mobile phones to log out to deter access by unknown people.
A source said stolen phones were sold somewhat openly at the Thotalanga market area in Colombo by drug addicts. He said some stolen phones were smuggled into India to be sold there and avoid being detected by TRCSL.
The best way to say that you found the home of your dreams is by finding it on Hitad.lk. We have listings for apartments for sale or rent in Sri Lanka, no matter what locale you're looking for! Whether you live in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Matara, Jaffna and more - we've got them all!