New Delhi: A software engineer's iPhone 15 was snatched outside Kashmere Gate metro station. Ten days on, the phone's "Find My Device" feature continues to show the device's location in Seelampur, but the cops can't seem to reach it. Despite updating the police on the precise whereabouts of his phone, the techie has found himself caught in a frustrating waiting game.
He is not the only person facing this problem; several other residents have been posting on the social media platform X, tagging Delhi Police and sharing how they have also been able to track their snatched phones and inform the police, yet they have not received them back either.
Victim's Ordeal
The engineer's ordeal began on June 3 near Gate No. 4 of Kashmere Gate metro station, where he was standing with his luggage and elderly parents, trying to book a cab after returning from UP.
"A scooter-borne snatcher approached from the opposite direction, swiftly grabbed my phone and sped away. I was determined to catch him, so I ran after him for nearly 300 metres towards the Shahdara flyover. A passing cab driver joined the pursuit, and we searched the area for 5-6km but later realised the suspect had escaped by taking the road beneath the flyover while we went over it," he told TOI.
Other Victims Share Stories
Other victims have shared similar stories on X, alleging a complete lack of police cooperation despite clear GPS evidence. One user posted on May 26 that eight days had passed since their phone was stolen, and despite regular location alerts and daily visits to Jagatpuri police station, no action was taken.
Another victim posted on May 30: "I lost my phone on March 27. Today I got a new location of my phone on my ID after more than two months, which is in Barnala Sangrur Road, Punjab, 148002 and Delhi Police are unable to trace my phone. I am getting location of my phone but Delhi Police can't."
Police Response
DCP Raja Banthia and Joint CP Madhur Verma have been directed by commissioner of police Satish Golchha to curb snatching in the area.
The transit hubs around Kashmere Gate seem to be particularly vulnerable targets. Another post on X detailed how a victim's phone was snatched on May 11 inside a bus near the Kashmere Gate stand. Despite receiving constant location updates from govt's CEIR portal, the device remains missing and is feared to be in use by criminals.
Another traveller shared that two bike-borne thieves snatched his phone from a moving auto near ISBT Kashmere Gate while he was heading from the airport to catch a bus to Himachal Pradesh, leaving him with an active tracking map but no phone. Another shared that a Rs 85,000 phone stolen at Gurudwara Bangla Sahib had essentially been reduced to an expensive paperweight because it couldn't be retrieved despite being completely traceable.
Challenges in Recovery
According to a senior police officer, "The feature helps identify only a general area, but locations often point to densely populated slum clusters where the exact house, room or floor is unknown. Without precise details, locating the device becomes extremely difficult. In some cases, the phone had already been dismantled by the time teams reached the spot."
The officer advised victims to report the theft on govt's CEIR portal and block the device's IMEI number to prevent misuse.
As snatchers disappear into crowded neighbourhoods, victims are left watching a blinking location dot that cops often cannot turn into a recovery.
