Mumbai cops bust mobile snatching gang; two held, 28 stolen phones recovered

The crackdown began after a complaint was filed by 37-year-old man. Pic/Special Arrangement

The MIDC Police in Andheri area of Mumbai busted a major mobile phone snatching and theft gang, arresting two suspects and recovering 28 stolen mobile phones valued at approximately Rs 4.8 lakhs, officials said on Wednesday.

The operation has successfully solved at least four registered criminal cases spanning multiple police jurisdictions, including MIDC, Vile Parle, and Goregaon, they said.

The crackdown began after a complaint was filed by 37-year-old man.

The police said that on July 6, 2026, at around 1 pm, the complainant was travelling in an auto-rickshaw near Mahakali Depot on Mahakali Caves Road in Andheri East when an unidentified person snatched a sky-blue Motorola smartphone straight out of his hand.

Following the incident, a formal case was registered under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the MIDC Police Station.

Police laid trap to nab suspects

According to the police officials, acting on precise inputs from a informant, a detection team learned that the suspects were scheduled to arrive near Road Number 8 in Ambedkar Nagar, Andheri East.

The police laid a strategic trap at the location and intercepted two men riding a motor scooter. Upon searching them, the team immediately recovered Kamble's stolen Motorola phone.

Stolen vehicles and temple theft uncovered

A deeper interrogation of the suspects led to breakthroughs. The police seized a total of 28 stolen mobile phones from their possession. Three of these phones have already been linked to a theft case registered at the Vile Parle Police Station.

The scooter used by the suspects was found to be stolen property, a vehicle theft case at the MIDC Police Station.

The duo also confessed to breaking into a temple in Goregaon and stealing the donation box, a case currently being handled by the Goregaon Police, officials said.

Further probe revealed that the accused are habitual offenders with existing criminal records at both the Aarey and Tilak Nagar police stations in Mumbai.