Tirupati police recover 195 stolen phones bound for Bangladesh, four arrested
Tirupati police arrested a four-member inter-state gang and recovered 195 stolen mobile phones and tablets worth 1.50 crore. The devices were intercepted while being transported to the Bangladesh border.
Why it matters
This case demonstrates effective inter-state police coordination and the use of technology in tracking organized retail theft rings.
The Tirupati police on Tuesday (August 18, 2026) recovered a huge cache of 195 mobile phones and five tablet PCs stolen from a retail store just minutes before they were to be shipped to Bangladesh.
The gang’s kingpin Alam Shaik (49), who is wanted in twelve cases across Jharkhand, Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, was arrested along with Md. Basheeruddin Shaik (66), Tonic Shaik (32), and Md. Ashmoul Shaik.
After a robbery at a major outlet, which is part of a State-wide retail chain, the police swung into action and solved the crime within six days using intelligence inputs and technology. The inter-state gang of four was taken into custody.
The special team formed under Additional Superintendent (Crime) A. Srinivasulu studied the pattern of theft and compared it with similar patterns elsewhere, and deputed special teams to Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Bengal.
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