100 mobile phones stolen daily on Mumbai local trains

Officials said at least 10 cases are registered in each police station everyday on an average.

At least 100 mobile theft cases are filed across the 16 Government Railway Police (GRP) divisions in the city everyday – a matter of serious concern for the authorities.

In 2017, 18,000 cases of mobile thefts were registered across the suburban railway network. (HT File)

Officials said at least 10 cases are registered in each police station everyday on an average. In 2017, 18,000 cases of mobile thefts were registered across the suburban railway network. Officials said there are unreported cases where commuters hesitate to lodge complaints as their expectations are low. A majority of such crimes are committed by youngsters in the age group of 16 years and 25 years.

Purshottam Karad, deputy commissioner of police (GRP Western Railway) said there has been a spurt of phone thefts reported last year since they were instructed to register the cases as FIRs instead of non-cognizable complaints. “In May, 2017, 126 theft cases were reported, which rose to 1,187 in June, after which, we began registering them as FIRs ,” said an officer of the GRP Crime branch.

“We have begun taking action against the robbers who mostly enter station premises ticketless,” said Karad. “Robbers stand hiding behind poles and hit commuters standing on footboards. As the phones fall from hands of commuters, the robbers pick them up and disappear in the slums or jump into the mangroves at Mahim and Bandra,” said S Dhanwate, senior inspector, GRP crime branch.

Machindra Chavan, assistant commissioner of police (GRP) said CCTVs at stations do not cover the tracks. “Officers from each GRP across the central line will now patrol the tracks.We are also rounding up the record criminals and pick-pockets in our jurisdiction and slapping chapter cases against them as an additional precaution,” he said.