Maharashtra has once again emerged as the state with the highest value of stolen property in India, highlighting the alarming rise in theft-related crimes across Mumbai and other parts of the state. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2024 report, property worth ₹1,098 crore was stolen in Maharashtra during the year through various offences such as theft, burglary, chain snatching, and vehicle theft. However, police managed to recover property worth only ₹342 crore, resulting in a recovery rate of merely 31 percent. The report further revealed that between 2022 and 2024, thieves targeted assets worth nearly ₹3,068 crore across the state, raising serious concerns over law and order.
The NCRB report stated that property worth ₹5,924 crore was stolen across India in 2024, out of which authorities successfully recovered assets worth ₹2,073 crore. Maharashtra alone registered 80,620 theft-related cases during the year based on complaints filed by 81,741 citizens. These included 1,286 burglary cases, 26,512 vehicle thefts, and 714 chain-snatching incidents, along with several other forms of property crimes. The total value of stolen assets in the state rose to ₹1,098 crore in 2024 compared to ₹1,029.7 crore recorded in 2023. The data indicates a continuous increase in theft-related offences despite ongoing police action and surveillance measures.
The report also pointed out that residential areas remain the primary targets for criminals across the country. Nationwide, 1,96,279 theft cases were reported from residential localities, resulting in property losses worth ₹1,378.3 crore. Streets and public roads emerged as the second most vulnerable locations, with 1,73,835 theft incidents leading to losses of nearly ₹809 crore. Authorities observed that criminals are increasingly focusing on crowded urban zones and densely populated neighbourhoods where tracking stolen property becomes more difficult. The findings underline the growing need for stronger security systems, surveillance networks, and public awareness to prevent thefts in residential and public areas.
Apart from homes and roads, theft incidents were also reported in railway stations, metro stations, malls, airports, industrial areas, offices, educational institutions, banks, ATMs, and other public places. The report highlighted that Karnataka ranked second after Maharashtra in terms of the value of stolen property, with losses amounting to ₹484.4 crore, followed by Rajasthan with ₹429.5 crore. Although the value of stolen property has increased steadily over the past three years, the recovery rate has remained largely unchanged. This has posed a major challenge for police departments nationwide, as authorities continue to struggle with both controlling rising theft cases and recovering stolen valuables from organised criminal networks.