Juveniles behind most phone thefts on trains

Between January to April, 794 mobile phones were stolen on local trains, up from 444 in the same period last year. Mobile phone thefts and robberies on city's local trains saw an alarming rise this year, with commuters losing 794 phones, worth a whopping Rs 140.51 lakh, between January to April.

The railway police have claimed that a majority of such crimes are being committed by juveniles. Last year same period stood and 444 phones, worth Rs 76.25 lakh revealed statistics collated by the railway police.

The government railway police (GRP) revealed that while minora were mainly in stealing mobile phones during peak hours, men and drug addicts were behind this robberies.

The most common technique used by robbers is hitting commuters on the footboard with a stick. Following this surprised commuters let go of their valuables, which the accused picj and flee. Juveniles mostly operate in grouos of three or four, so even after getting caught the phones are not recovered. After one of them steals the phone, he passes it on to the other to avoid getting caught with the stolen phone.

According to the police, gangs target employing children for the task as they are let off easily because they cannot be interogated. They have to utmost care while dealing with a juvenile. They cannot interrogate other criminals, as they have to produce them befor the Child Welfare Comittee (CWC) and leave them in children's home within hours of the arrest.

As the further thread of investigation cannot be reached,the GRP fails to find the gangs whom they work and the people they handover the phone's too.

All steps are been taken to counter rise in phone thefts. We have also started a mobile phone tracking unit, which started operating from thr GRP headquarters this year, said Rupali Ambure DCP, GRP.