Navi Mumbai: The Crime Branch Unit II of Navi Mumbai police successfully busted a newly formed gang specializing in snatching mobile phones from pedestrians while on bikes. In a recent operation, the police seized 29 mobile phones.
The police arrested four accused who were identified as Bharat Pralhad Rathod (19), Devanand Vishnu Jadhav (19), Deepak Ramesh Rathod (19), and Vaibhav Kisan Jagtap (24).
Utilizing a combination of CCTV footage and informant networks, police effectively tracked down these unemployed gang members, who initiated their mobile-snatching spree approximately four months ago. Their modus operandi involved targeting individuals engaged in phone conversations or walking with their phones in hand.
Police Shares Information On Operation
A senior police official from Unit II Crime Branch explained, “The gang had yet to sell any of the stolen phones in the grey market. It appears they were still deliberating on what to do with the stolen phones.” The 29 seized mobile phones collectively hold a value of ₹5.02 lakh. While 17 phones have been reported as stolen, the ownership of the remaining 12 phones remains unknown.
The arrests have prompted the initiation of cases across various police stations, including Panvel Taluka, Kamothe, Taloja, Panvel City, Khandeshwar, Kalamboli, Kharghar, and CBD Belapur. The accused individuals now face charges under sections 392 (robbery), 379 (theft), and 34 (common intention) of the IPC. They were remanded to judicial custody on Monday.
