: In specific field operations, police may use hardware like "Stingrays" (IMSI catchers) to intercept identifiers directly from phones in the immediate vicinity. Free Official Tracking for the Public
Police work directly with Mobile Network Operators (MNOs). When a phone connects to a tower, it broadcasts its IMEI. Carriers log which tower the device is hitting, allowing police to triangulate its location. imei tracking software used by police free