Delhi Police bust smartphone theft ring, 44 high-end mobiles recovered, 2 arrested

The Delhi Police have busted a gang involved in selling dismantled parts of high-end smartphones and recovered 43 Apple iPhones and one Samsung Fold during a raid in Dev Nagar area of Karol Bagh, officials said on Friday.

Two accused, identified as Navdeep Kaur, 26, and Ramandeep Bhangu, 33, were arrested during the operation. The duo, part of a mobile phone theft syndicate, used to receive stolen devices from local thieves, dismantle them, and sell the parts in open markets. The syndicate had largely gone undetected until a recent iPhone 15 snatching case was reported at the IP Estate Police Station.

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Following the complaint, a case was registered, and police launched a focused investigation. Acting on a tip-off, a team traced the stolen device to Karol Bagh.

During the raid, the police discovered not only a stash of stolen phones but also a large quantity of dismantled high-end smartphone components. Navdeep Kaur was apprehended from her residence, where 44 stolen mobile phones (43 iPhones and 1 Samsung Fold) and numerous dismantled phone parts, suspected to be from other stolen devices, were recovered.

During interrogation, Kaur admitted to receiving and trading in stolen smartphones with her associates, Sanjeev Kumar and Ramandeep Bhangu. She revealed that the phones were dismantled and their parts sold in local repair shops.

A few days later, her accomplice, Ramandeep Bhangu, was arrested in Nahan, Himachal Pradesh, while attempting to flee to Nepal. Bhangu disclosed that the gang used to buy stolen smartphones from a contact in Karol Bagh and sell the dismantled parts through repair outlets. Sanjeev Kumar, another key suspect in the operation, is currently absconding.

Both Navdeep and Ramandeep had moved to Delhi several years ago in search of better job opportunities and initially worked at a mobile repair shop in Karol Bagh. However, disillusioned by meagre earnings, they turned to crime and became involved in the illegal trade of stolen smartphones.