Over 5,000 phones recovered in two years, Police issue advisory

Colombo, May 21 (Daily Mirror) - Sri Lanka Police have issued a public advisory urging the public to act quickly when mobile phones are lost or stolen, warning of risks linked to data misuse and criminal activity involving missing devices. The advisory comes as authorities report the recovery of more than 5,000 mobile phones over the past two years.

Police warned that missing devices are often used by criminals for unlawful activities, exposing owners to risks involving personal data, financial information, and private files.

To mitigate these risks, the police emphasize that the absolute first step a victim must take is to deactivate the SIM card through their respective service provider. 
This prevents misuse of the connection for illegal purposes and assists law enforcement in tracking the device.

The police also stressed the immense importance of knowing a device's International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, noting that keeping a record of this and other service details prior to any loss is a vital individual responsibility. Users can instantly retrieve their device's unique IMEI number by typing the shortcode `*#06#` into their keypad. To streamline recoveries, Sri Lanka Police has introduced a dedicated web portal, ineed.police.lk, where citizens can register their lost items, enabling law enforcement to initiate swift tracking actions.

Police said this system has already yielded high success rates. In 2024, the police successfully tracked down and returned 2,796 misplaced phones to their owners, while resolving data on 928 stolen phones to prosecute offenders. The momentum continued into 2025, which saw the recovery of 2,355 lost phones and the arrest of suspects linked to 1,019 stolen devices.

The advisory also carried a stern legal warning for the public regarding the possession of un-owned or suspiciously cheap property. Under the Penal Code of Sri Lanka, retaining property that does not belong to you constitutes the criminal offense of criminal misappropriation, which carries a penalty of up to two years in prison. 
Anyone who finds a lost item must immediately hand it over to the nearest police station or officer and secure an official receipt. Furthermore, buying a stolen phone or property—often lured by low price tags—renders the buyer guilty of possessing stolen goods, an offense punishable by up to three years of imprisonment.

Police urged the public to exercise caution when purchasing mobile phones and other goods, and advised buyers to verify devices using the “Find Genuine Phone” feature on the 'I Need' system before completing any transaction.