With the number of cellphone users skyrocketing, handsets have emerged as more lucrative targets for pickpockets than wallets.

And the figures bear out the shift. The number of wallet thefts has fallen drastically, but the graph of cellphone lifting is soaring.

According to police officers, stealing cellphones is more profitable than stealing wallets. “When a criminal lifts a wallet, he does not know how much money it contains. There might be as little as Rs 10 in it. On the other hand, a stolen cellphone will fetch at least Rs 1,000,” explained deputy commissioner of police (detective department) Gyanwant Singh.

The detective department’s watch section at the Lalbazar police headquarters receives 15 to 20 cellphone theft complaints every month.

“A large number of complaints are also lodged with the 48 police stations across the city,” said an officer of the section. “Besides, many people do not lodge a complaint. Figuring out the actual number is a tough task.”

Metro Railway commuters are the prime targets of the pickpockets, the officer added. “They take advantage of the crowded compartments. The lifters launch into action while the commuters are boarding the train or getting off it.”

After stealing a phone, the pickpockets immediately call up traders, known as “receivers”, in the city’s grey market. “The lifters carry a chart with the grey-market rates of the handsets. Phones in good condition sell at one-third of their market price,” elaborated another officer.

Though most lifters are illiterate, they are well versed with the features of handsets, stated deputy commissioner Singh. “They keep themselves informed about the new models in the market.”

Officer-in-charge of the watch section Asish Sengupta said: “We keep recovering handsets but finding out their owners is difficult. If the owner does not lodge a complaint, we have no way of returning the phone.”

Singh added: “After receiving a complaint, we send the IMEI number (the security code of the handset) to the service provider. They have gadgets to track the location of the handset. But we hardly get any feedback.”