Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
The growing incidents of mobile thefts in the city is posing a challenge to the police administration. It is learnt that 97 mobiles were stolen, apart from 744 reported to be lost, in a span of the last 90 days.
In the latest incident in the series of theft. The thieves on November 7 at 10 pm stole as many as three mobile phones, at three different spots, in a span of 15 minutes, from the vicinity of the SSC Board.
A trader from Padampura, Lalit Banswal (33) was going on foot from SSC Board to Railway Station Road, on November 7 at 10 pm. While he was crossing Fire Brigade Station, one black colour bike with three persons riding on it, came near him. The rider reduced the speed of the vehicle and as soon as they snatched away the mobile, sped away. A few distance away, the thieves also whisked away the cellphones of Rohit Auti (19) and Ajay Raut (20) on the same route at different spots. This was revealed when all the three victims then reached Vedantnagar police station to lodge their complaints.
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In the last three months, there was a complaint that 97 mobiles had been stolen by snatching, while 744 mobiles have been reported to be lost or missing. It is learnt that nearly 70 per cent mobiles are either stolen or looted. Hence, the cops registered the case of missing. Hence around 900 mobiles (in all) were either stolen or looted in 90 days.
Earlier, on November 2, the mobile phone of a relative of a patient in Bajaj Hospital, was snatched away by three persons riding on one motorcycle. One Tanaji Chavan chased them and succeeded in chasing one of the riders. The name of the accused is Sushant Bhalerao (Sindhibhan).
The eyebrows are being raised over the efficiency of the local police and crime branch police as they have failed to trace the mobile thieves. The incidents of snatching are largely reported from areas like Connaught Place, Chikalthana MIDC, Cidco N-1, Cidco N-3, Kranti Chowk, Osmanpura, Satara and Waluj MIDC area. What is surprising is that in all the mobile theft cases the bike was being ridden by three persons (triple seats). The citizens are in awe as according to them it has become very risky to walk on the road by talking on the phone or holding the phone in hand etc. This is posing stress upon them.