Cebu City police recover 154 stolen phones after Sinulog

Cebu City police recovered 154 mobile phones believed to be stolen in the city, including units lost during the Sinulog Festival, after tracing the devices to a cellphone repair and secondhand gadget shop along Leon Kilat Street, Barangay Pahina Central.

The recovery was the result of an anti-fencing operation conducted by the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) and its Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit two days after the Sinulog festivities, following numerous complaints of missing phones filed across various police stations.

Cebu City Police Office officer-in-charge Col. George Ylanan said four complainants initially sought police assistance after losing their phones during Sinulog.

Using the devices’ built-in tracking features, police were able to pinpoint a single establishment as the common location where the phones were detected.

“Ang common denominator nato ani actually is ang ‘Find My’ app. Bisan unsay circumstance sa pagkawala sa ilang selpon, ang ‘Find My’ application nila nagtudlo sa usa ka establishment sa Leon Kilat,” Ylanan said.

During the operation, police searched the second floor of the shop and recovered three backpacks containing the 154 mobile phones. The seized devices included the phones of the four original complainants.

Authorities arrested a man believed to be the owner of the shop for alleged violations of the Anti-Fencing Law, while the landlord of the establishment is also under investigation.

Ylanan clarified that not all of the recovered phones were stolen during Sinulog itself. Some devices had been reported missing before and after the festival, with cases dating back to 2025.

He added that most of the phones were likely taken from urban areas such as malls and restaurants, noting that the heavy police presence along the Sinulog Grand Parade route made pickpocketing during the main event less likely.

Police said about 95 percent of the recovered devices were iPhones, including several high-end models. Ylanan declined to provide an estimated total value of the haul but said it was substantial.

According to Ylanan, follow-up operations are ongoing to identify other suspects, including individuals outside Cebu City. He said investigators believe the group behind the scheme includes technicians with advanced knowledge of Apple devices.

“Kung inyong i-analyze, iPhone gyud ang gipang-target. Kini nga brand ang pinakalisod i-hack tungod sa firewall. Mao nga klaro nga naa silay technical expertise—nag-master gyud sila sa iPhone,” Ylanan said.

He added that stolen high-end iPhones were allegedly being bought for as low as ₱5,000 before being reset and resold.

On Wednesday, more than a hundred individuals went to CCPO headquarters at Camp Sotero Cabahug to check if their missing phones were among those recovered.

As of 5 p.m., police said 98 devices had been identified by their owners, while 56 remained unclaimed.

Ylanan said the phones cannot be released immediately, as they remain subject to documentation. Owners are required to file an Affidavit of Loss as part of the legal process.

“Dili ni siya ingon nga i-claim dayon. Kuhaan sila’g affidavit usa kay naghago ta nga manakop (ug) naghago ta nga makuha ni. Amo sab silang gihangyo nga mo-file ta og kaso. Total, ibalik raman gihapon ilang selpon,” he said.

Ylanan warned those involved in phone theft and illegal resale to surrender stolen devices, stressing that police will continue intensive follow-up operations to dismantle the group behind the scheme.

“Here in Cebu City, it is not just up to blotter. We will find, we are doing intensive follow-up operations,” he said.