The Mumbai police, who have recovered 400 stolen manhole covers this year, have revealed that several thieves had been selling lids to scrap dealers in Gujarat. According to the authorities, in some of the 53 thefts that were registered in 2023, the pilfered covers found their way to manufacturing units in the neighbouring state. Officials have raised concerns about a large syndicate, indicating a more intricate operation than initially perceived. 

Thefts committed by the addicts are a desperate measure driven by their need for funds to procure narcotics and sustain themselves for about a week. However, it is the scrap dealers who are masterminding this illicit operation, covertly selling the stolen property to larger dealers in Gujarat. These dealers cunningly present the stolen goods as scrap, obscuring the true nature of their origin,” said an officer familiar with the ongoing investigation.