Here is a statement issued by the police informing the public about the steps to be taken in the event of a mobile phone being lost or stolen.
Public awareness regarding the steps to be taken in the event of a mobile phone being lost or stolen.
Complaints regarding the loss, misplacement and theft of mobile phones are reported to every police station in the island on a daily basis. Especially in the event of a mobile phone being lost, misplaced or stolen, there is a possibility of some misuse occurring through that mobile phone if it is lost, misplaced or stolen by another party.
The public should be aware of such misuses and necessary measures should be taken immediately. It has been observed that these lost or stolen mobile phones are used for anti-social, illegal and illicit activities.
In such cases, the owners of the relevant mobile phones become victims. It has been observed from the complaints that criminals can obtain a mobile phone containing all the information including financial information, personal information, photos, sensitive information, etc., from other parties to fulfill their desires.
There are several important steps that should be followed when a mobile phone is misplaced or lost or stolen by someone. Accordingly,
First, deactivate the SIM. (This deactivation can be done through the service provider from which the SIM was obtained.)
Thereby, a third party loses the ability to use the mobile phone for illegal, anti-social and illegal activities. Deactivating the SIM will also make it easier for another party to find the mobile phone.
In the event that a mobile phone is lost or misplaced, it is important to mention the IMEI number when filing a complaint with the Sri Lanka Police regarding a stolen mobile phone.
It is the responsibility of the relevant individuals to keep the IMEI number and service details with them before the mobile phone is misplaced or lost. This shortcut (*#06#) can be used to find the IMEI number of a mobile phone.
Furthermore, the Sri Lanka Police has introduced a method for finding mobile phones through software and for this, you can register by visiting the website ineed.police.lk.
After visiting the website and informing, the Sri Lanka Police will take immediate action through it.
The Sri Lanka Police has been able to recover 2796 lost phones in 2024 and hand them over to their owners. In addition, 928 mobile phones stolen in 2024 have been released to the public due to the correct completion of the data and the law has been enforced against those criminals.
Also, in 2025, the Sri Lanka Police was able to recover 2355 lost phones and seize 1019 stolen phones and enforce the law.
Furthermore, when someone finds property that does not belong to them, they can immediately hand over the property to the nearest police station or a police officer and obtain a certificate or note or inform about it through a complaint.
Keeping property that does not belong to them in their custody is a criminal offense under the Sri Lanka Penal Code called criminal misappropriation. In this case, there is a possibility of being subject to imprisonment for 02 years. Therefore, keeping property that does not belong to them in their possession is an offense in the eyes of the law. If a person buys a stolen mobile phone or other property at a low price and keeps it, that person is guilty of an offense and will have to serve a prison sentence of 03 years.
When purchasing a new mobile phone, the I need system software, through the concept of Find Genuine Phone, can easily find out whether a police station has received a complaint regarding that mobile phone and whether it is a stolen mobile phone. Accordingly, the police have informed the public that individuals should pay close attention to the mobile phones they purchase in the future and to those places.
Police Media Division.