Team Herald
PANJIM: The Pernem Police have recorded 129 cases of stolen mobile phones during an event held in the taluka.
According to police sources, while some devices have been recovered, surveillance is on to track the remaining missing phones.
The police have acknowledged the complaints and have initiated an investigation into the matter.
The sources said that all mobile SIMs and sets which have been reported as stolen have been put under surveillance for their IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) numbers and location tracking.
This is done to trace the stolen devices and bring the culprits to book.
CCTV footage from the festival grounds are being screened and witnessed interviewed to gather more information. Police are also collaborating with mobile service providers to block the stolen phones and prevent any further misuse, sources said.
However, this is not the first incident when mobile phones have been stolen during EDM, a popular electronic dance music festival.
In December of 2023, the Goa police had arrested seven members of a gang, all hailing from Mumbai, for allegedly stealing high-end mobile phones worth Rs 25 lakh during the EDM festival.
The police had also seized 29 mobile phones of different brands, which the accused stole from concert goers during the three-day festival. The police had received complaints about mobile phone thefts since the music festival began on December 28.