Not that you’ve had your second-hand mobile handset stolen, but now if you go to buy a previously owned handset you’ll be able to check whether it has been stolen or not – at least in India.

The Delhi Police are making public the information that usually mobile phone operators only have and are to publish an online database of IMEI/ISMI numbers which you can search directly from their site to check whether the handset has been stolen.

In a lot of cases, mobile theft goes unreported to police, even at an Irish level. Since mobiles are reasonably affordable with some handsets falling under E70, people often opt to simply buy a new mobile, particularly pre-paid customers. But if you were to report the theft, the mobile operator could flag the phone as stolen and bar it from being used on its network by knowing the phone’s IMEI number (try pressing *#06# on your phone’s keypad to see yours).

This kind of setup I would certainly like to see in Ireland as I myself have been victim of mobile theft.

(via)