Navi Mumbai Crime: Thieves break into cars, steal Rs 47,000 and mobile phones

Six cars belonging to participants in the Monsoon Marathon were broken into

Participants in a Monsoon Marathon in Vashi were shocked to return to their vehicles after it on Sunday, because not only were some of them damaged, their belongings kept inside, including cash and mobile phones, were stolen. Valuables were stolen from six cars which were parked in the compound of Inorbit Mall. The marathon was organised by Smart Conceptz, whose officials asked many of the participants to park their cars in the compound of the mall, which was the starting point of the marathon, and also where the prize distribution was organised. Victims are blaming organisers for mismanagement and also for not informing police about their programme. Eight of them have complained to the police.

Ten mobile phones were stolen along with Rs 47,000 in all in cash. Vashi police station PSI Vikas Gaikwad said, "The thieves damaged more than 10 cars but stole valuables only from six cars. The incident happened between 6:30 am and 8:00 am. The accused might have kept watch on the people who kept their valuables inside the cars."

Gaikwad, who immediately traced the locations of every mobile phone which was stolen, located one of them in Nalasopara but after that it was switched off. He said, "Now we are collecting CCTV footage of all possible areas from where the thieves might have gone. If the organisers had informed us about their programme and other details properly, we would have provided them a police team."

A spokesperson from Smart Conceptz said, "We had organised this monsoon marathon on Sunday and almost 2,200 people participated. Inorbit Mall provided us parking for only 500 cars and rest of the cars were parked outside the mall on the streets. Around 9:30 am when all the runners came back, they saw their car windows were broken and mobile phones were stolen. They immediately informed us. I personally took all the victims to Vashi police station to lodge complaints. We are providing the police videos of the programme and photographs to find the culprits."

• 10: No of mobiles phones stolen
• Rs 47,000: Total cash stolen

-Inputs by Hemal Ashar

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