Thane: In a case of burglary reported in the Dapode area of Bhiwandi, 18 mobile phones belonging to employees of a private company were stolen from a drawer in an office table. A case has been registered at the Narpoli Police Station, and police are currently searching for the suspect.
The incident took place at a company located in Suvidhinath Complex in Dapode, where workers are provided mobile phones by the management for work-related use. On the evening of July 18, before closing for the day, the employees placed their mobile phones in a drawer inside the company premises and left for the day, as reported by Loksatta.
The next day, on July 19, the company owners informed the workers that a theft had occurred. Upon inspection, it was discovered that 18 mobile phones had gone missing, with an estimated value of Rs 90,000.
According to the report, during a closer inspection of the premises, it was found that the culprit had gained entry by removing the exhaust fan in the company’s toilet, suggesting a premeditated break-in. Following this discovery, a company employee lodged a formal complaint at the Narpoli Police Station. Based on the complaint, a case of burglary has been registered, and the investigation is ongoing.
In a separate incident of cybercrime in Thane, a 70-year-old retired mill worker became the target of a digital arrest scam, losing Rs 6.3 lakh to fraudsters posing as officials from the Delhi Crime Branch.
The scammers falsely claimed that the victim’s identity was linked to a Rs 5,000 crore financial fraud and that he would face arrest unless he complied with their instructions. To convince him, they even produced a fake credit card issued in his name.
Fearing legal trouble, the elderly man followed their instructions and transferred the money. It was only after discussing the situation with a friend that he realised he had been cheated. He subsequently filed a complaint on the cybercrime reporting portal.
The Thane police have registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, citing charges of cheating and impersonation. Digital arrest scams typically involve fraudsters pretending to be law enforcement officers, intimidating victims with threats of arrest to extort money.
