Swiss Student Reports Phone Theft at Mumbai Airport
A Swiss student faced a distressing situation at Mumbai International Airport this week. Rebecca, a 27-year-old student, landed in Mumbai early on Wednesday morning. She discovered her mobile phone missing from her baggage soon after arrival. The phone, valued at Rs 50,000, was purchased in 2022.
Complaint Filed and Case Transferred
Rebecca checked her bag upon landing at 4:30 am and confirmed the phone was inside. She noticed the theft when she reached the immigration counter. Airport officials could not locate the device. After leaving the airport, Rebecca went to a hotel in Malabar Hill. Hotel staff directed her to the Malabar Hill police station, where she filed a complaint the same day.
The case was later transferred to the Sahar police on Saturday. This transfer occurred because the theft happened under Sahar police jurisdiction. A police officer from Sahar station stated they received the case three days after the incident. The team is now reviewing CCTV footage from inside the airport premises. They aim to identify any person who might have taken the phone from Rebecca's bag.
Previous Theft Incidents at Mumbai Airport
This incident is not isolated. Last year, airport police recorded two similar cases. In August, flyers from Bangalore and Delhi reported mobile phones stolen from their baggage after landing in Mumbai.
One case involved SS Iyer, a retired financial officer from Thane. He reported an iPhone missing from his baggage upon arrival at Mumbai Domestic Airport on August 25. The phone was a birthday gift from his daughter.
Another case involved SV Chingunde, a Navi Mumbai resident. Her mobile was stolen from her baggage after landing at Mumbai Airport from Delhi on August 26. Chingunde had traveled to Delhi for her solar business.
In June, AD Jain, a vice president at a real estate company, discovered gold ornaments worth Rs 5.5 lakh missing from his laptop bag. This theft occurred after he landed at Mumbai International Airport from Delhi.
In February, a retired mechanical engineer lost his phone valued at around Rs 75,000. The theft happened after he landed from Kolkata early on a Saturday. Additionally, nearly Rs 1.5 lakh was swiped from three bank accounts linked to his e-wallets within an hour.
Investigations Ongoing but Unsolved
Police are actively investigating Rebecca's case. However, none of the thefts reported by flyers in recent months have been solved so far. The pattern suggests a recurring issue at Mumbai Airport, raising concerns among travelers.
Authorities urge passengers to remain vigilant with their belongings. They recommend keeping valuables in carry-on bags and reporting any suspicious activity immediately.
