Leo asked, “Do you still have the phone’s box?” Mrs. Gable shuffled to her closet and pulled out a shoebox full of old manuals. On the side of the phone’s original packaging was a sticker: IMEI: 351756123456789 .

From then on, Leo helped three more neighbors find their IMEIs. He even printed a little card for his own wallet: “My IMEI: [written in pencil] – dial *#06# if lost.”

Two days later, Mrs. Gable had her phone back. She hugged Leo. “You saved my lifeline.”

“That’s it!” Leo said. “But let’s double-check—just in case the box doesn’t match the phone.”