Mumbai, September 17: At least 135 mobile theft cases have been registered in Mumbai's Lalbaug area in the first four days of Ganeshotsav 2018. Those taking advantage of huge crowds during the Ganpati festival have stolen around 135 mobile phones in the area. It is assumed that the count is higher since many of the cases remain unreported. Follow These Simple Tips to Stay Safe in Crowded Places During Pandal Hopping

Ganesh Utsav is one of the most enjoyed festivals in the country, especially in Maharashtra. During the festival, people bring Ganesha idols to their home and even pay visits to mandals. Many people stand in long queues for prolonged hours to meet their beloved god. During Ganesh Chaturthi people often visit Lalbaugh, to see immersive idols. It has been noticed that thieves are taking advantage of the huge crowds and try to pick pockets. In just four days, almost 135 mobile theft cases have been registered in Kalachowki police station in the Lalbaug area. Ganesh Visarjan Muhurat of 5 Day Ganpati & Gauri

After the enormous complaints, the police have started a probe and are trying to trace the thieves by using CCTV cameras. Surat and UP Gangs are suspected to be active in this area and police have also started investigations in that direction.

The police have planned to increase the security during the Visarjan of Lalbaugcha Raja. The procession takes almost 24 hours. In this case, thieves try to stay with the idol and move along the crowd to steal the maximum number of phones and wallets.

Last year, the Mumbai Police had busted a gang which belongs to Varanasi, and had come all the way to the city to steal mobile phones and other valuable goods. The gang arrived from Varanasi to Mumbai and stayed in a guest house in Dadar. Police had recovered mobile phones worth Rs 1 lakh from the gang.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 17, 2018 12:02 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).