The suspect was apprehended following a complaint of bag theft lodged by a passenger on the 16507 Jodhpur Express at Kalyan Railway Station, said an official
The police have recovered 21 stolen mobile phones worth Rs 4,07,322 from his possession, an official said
The Special Action Force of the Crime Branch, GRP Mumbai Police Commissionerate, has arrested a habitual thief who allegedly targeted passengers travelling on Mail and Express trains, police said on Friday.
The accused was apprehended following a complaint of bag theft lodged by a passenger on the 16507 Jodhpur Express at Kalyan Railway Station, said an official.
According to police sources, complainant Mahendra Raj Puri (31), a Pune-based medical shop owner, was boarding the general coach of the Jodhpur Express from Kalyan Station, Platform No. 4, on 10 July at around 10:45 PM. While he was on the train, there was a heavy crowd in the general coach, which the thief took advantage of by unzipping the side chain of his bag and stealing valuable items.
Based on his statement, a case was registered at Kalyan Railway Police Station under Crime Register No. 880/2025, invoking Section 303(2) of the Indian Penal Code.
Under the guidance of D Rajendra Ranmale – Deputy Commissioner of Police, Central Circle Manoj Patil, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime), Senior Police Inspector Vijay Khedkar and Police Inspector Rohit Sawant, along with API Abhijit Bhupendra Taylor, API Mangesh Khade, PSI Krishnarao Chavan, Ramchandra Khuspe, and others, began the investigation. The accused was identified as Tufel Raza Akhtar Memon (25), from Kalyan railway premises, on 15 July 2025. He was found loitering suspiciously and was immediately taken into custody.
The investigation revealed that Memon was stealing passengers’ belongings to fund his online gaming addiction, for which he frequently required new IDs and in-game purchases.
The accused confessed to stealing bags at night from sleeping passengers in long-distance Mail/Express trains and alighting with the loot before the victim could realise.
“We have recovered 21 stolen mobile phones worth Rs 4,07,322 from his possession,” said an officer from the Crime Branch.
Further investigation and interrogation revealed that the accused has prior criminal records at Nashik Road City Police Station and Chandan Nagar Police Station, and is also linked to 7 other theft cases – 6 at Kalyan Railway Police Station and 1 at Bellary Railway Station, Karnataka. Investigations into additional cases are ongoing, the officer added.
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