Smartphone sellers promise recovery of snatched phones if reported

KARACHI: The President of the Karachi Electronics Dealers Association (KEDA), Rizwan Irfan, has extended a helping hand to citizens looking to recover losses from smartphone and mobile snatching, ARY News reported.

Rizwan Irfan has introduced a solution to recover stolen devices and identify those behind the muggings.

He stated that if a citizen is deprived of their mobile phone due to snatching or theft, they should first register a complaint with the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC). KEDA will then assist in recovering the device if an attempt is made to sell it in the market.

During a press conference today, Irfan revealed that 265 mobile phones, worth approximately Rs 5.8 million, have been recovered over the last four months.

Explaining the new security measure, he said: “We are implementing a system where anyone coming to our market to sell a mobile phone must provide a thumbprint and have their photo taken.”

If the seller has a criminal record, the system will promptly alert the Inspector General (IG) Office, after which a police team will arrive to make an arrest.

“If this system works as intended, it will definitely help decrease the menace of mobile snatching incidents,” Irfan added.

Earlier, Karachi had recorded an alarming surge in street crimes during March 2026, according to a report released by the Citizens Police Liaison Committee, Sindh (CPLC).

According to CPLC report, a total of 3,027 motorcycles were stolen during the month of March, while a further 440 were snatched. The data shows that citizens were deprived of 1,265 mobile phones. In addition, 140 cars were reported stolen, while 17 were taken through snatching incidents.

A total of 44 murder cases were recorded in March, alongside six incidents of extortion and one case of kidnapping for ransom.

However, no incidents of bank robbery were reported in the city during the month, according to the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee report.