A Vikhroli resident, who was robbed of his phone and wallet kept in a parked car, lost Rs 9.5 lakh after the accused changed his ATM PIN using phone banking, increased withdrawal limits and withdrew cash from various ATMs. A month since the theft, victim Rajesh Aerat’s bank has said he can’t get the money back.

Aerat, 51, runs a consulting firm. On August 22, he met his friends for a morning walk at 6 am at the Eastern Express Highway in Vikhroli and kept his mobile phone, wallet and bag in a friend’s car, which was parked on the highway. The group returned at 7.30 am to find the car broken into. After filing the FIR with Vikhroli police, when Aerat checked his ICICI Bank accounts in the afternoon, he found that Rs 9.5 lakh had been withdrawn. “I asked the bank to block my two accounts and ATM cards immediately,” said Aerat, who had tried the same while at the police station but was unsuccessful.