Chennai: Untraceable laptops and smart phones missing from AC coaches of some trains from Chennai Central to Bengaluru and Hyderabad have left the perplexed Railway Protection Force (RPF) suspecting an organised group selling the device components in a black market.
The Union railway minister, Suresh Prabhu, has suggested studying all such incidents and finding a common factor in the theft cases of devices from AC coaches, an official said.
“Finding a common factor could help find any inside help to the perpetrators,” the official added. Many incidents where passengers, having placed their laptop bags on their berths and leaving to buy a bottle of water followed by the laptops going missing have come to light. Also, phones disappearing from charging points in AC coaches have also come to the notice of railway police.
“Despite trying to track mobile phones through IMEI numbers, we haven’t found clues about their theft. What is surprising is that despite efforts, none of the phones or laptops could be traced back. At least 15 laptops have disappeared from morning trains to Bengaluru in a similar manner in 2016,” said a senior RPF official. “We suspect that instead of selling the phones or laptops, their components are being sold in the black market.”
That the perpetrators have technical know-how on how to ensure that laptops and phones can be stolen without leaving any trace, and the easy availability of spare parts like batteries in markets has left the police suspect that the devices are disassembled and sold in these black markets.
It is possible that perpetrators follow people carrying laptop bags entering the train and keep an eye on the person as he sets his luggage, an official said.
“People should also be careful while leaving their phones to charge even at their seats,” he said.
“There have been a couple of incidents on Hyderabad Express, and some trains to Bengaluru. We are not ignoring the possibility of involvement of onboard housekeeping staff or in charge of bedrolls,” the official told DC.
