Dadar West, one of the busiest pockets in Mumbai, has become a hunting ground for mobile thieves, with over 200 cases being reported in the past three months. Known for flower and vegetable markets and its proximity to the Siddhivinayak temple, thousands from across the city throng Dadar every day, leaving it densely packed. The police also attributed the high number of cases to the “no burking” policy of Commissioner Sanjay Pandey.

People have lost their phones while walking on crowded lanes, shopping or commuting on buses. In some cases, even people waiting in queues to use public toilets were not spared. As per Mumbai police data, the Shivaji Park police station registered just 2 theft cases in January and 3 cases next month. This was perhaps due to COVID restrictions which had curtailed public movement. As the pandemic waned and people were back on the streets, the police station registered 9 cases in March. Then the thieves went for the kill.