Mumbai Crime Branch Arrests Habitual Thief Sai Sunil Pawar, Recovers Six Stolen Smartphones Linked To Multiple Train Thefts

Mumbai: Crime Branch Unit-1 of the Government Railway Police (Dadar Division), Mumbai, has arrested a habitual thief involved in multiple mobile phone thefts targeting railway passengers. The accused, identified as Sai Sunil Pawar alias Shubham (31), a resident of Guhagar in Ratnagiri district, was apprehended at Dadar Railway Station following a well-coordinated operation.

Stolen Phones Seized Following Arrest

The arrest led to the recovery of six stolen smartphones, collectively valued at Rs 86,997. Police said the recovered devices are linked to several theft cases reported over the past two years.

According to an official, the investigation was launched after a complaint was registered at the Dadar Government Railway Police (GRP) station on June 1, 2025. The victim, travelling aboard the Mandovi Express, reported that an unknown co-passenger had befriended him during the journey. Under the pretext of making an urgent call, the suspect borrowed the complainant’s mobile phone and, as the train pulled into Dadar Station, leapt off the moving train with the phone in hand.

"Crime Branch officers reviewed CCTV footage from Dadar Station and other key points along the route, eventually identifying the suspect as Pawar — a repeat offender with a known criminal history," he said.

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According to the GRP, after nearly two months of surveillance and intelligence gathering, the police received a crucial tip-off about Pawar’s movements. Acting swiftly, a team from the Crime Branch laid a trap at Dadar Railway Station on August 22. The accused was arrested as he entered the premises through the main gate.

Train Theft Ring Exposed

During interrogation, Pawar admitted to the Mandovi Express theft and confessed to multiple similar crimes committed across Mumbai’s suburban and long-distance train routes. He later led police to the recovery of six stolen mobile phones of various brands.

Out of the six recovered handsets, three were directly linked to theft cases registered at Dadar GRP — one in 2025 and two dating back to 2024. The remaining three phones are believed to have been stolen from passengers on other trains. The Mumbai Railway Cyber Cell is currently assisting in tracing the rightful owners of the devices.

“This arrest is the result of meticulous surveillance and coordination between units,” said an official. “We remain committed to ensuring the safety of railway passengers.”

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The operation was led by Senior Police Inspector Vijay Khedkar of the Crime Branch and Police Inspector Rohit Sawant, under the overall supervision of Commissioner Kalasagar.

Authorities have urged commuters to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity while travelling by train.