Vehicle theft giving Navi Mumbai cops a headache

Motor vehicle theft has emerged as a major challenge for the Navi Mumbai police. Every sixth FIR filed in the city in 2022 was in connection with this particular crime. Furthermore, only 24 per cent of stolen vehicles were recovered, the lowest detection rate compared to other crimes.

The Navi Mumbai cops have fared much better when it comes to cases of crimes against women with a detection rate of 95 per cent.

Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Milind Bharambe, at the annual crime press conference on Friday afternoon, shared statistics pertaining to criminal cases registered in the city in 2022. Overall, the registration of cases remained slightly low, at 6,444, compared to 2021 (6,642). The total detection rate of registered cases was 75 per cent as compared to the previous year.

Property crimes topped the Navi Mumbai crime chart in 2022. Out of 6,443 registered offences in the calendar year, property offences accounted for 2,448 (38 per cent). These include dacoity, house-breaking, theft and motor vehicle theft.

Also Read: Mumbai Crime: Man thought he was rating travel sites, was being conned instead

The total property stolen in such crimes amounted to Rs 8.66 crore. However, the detection and recovery rate of these crimes remained low. The detection rate of property crime was 33 per cent while the cops managed to recover only 21 per cent of the stolen property. Motor vehicle theft accounted for most of the property crime, with 1,016 cases. Of these, only 21 per cent were detected.

"Motor vehicle theft is a challenge. Last year, the detection rate was better, at 40 per cent, but it has fallen drastically," said a senior officer of the Navi Mumbai Police. Crimes such as rape, eve-teasing and kidnapping and harassment of women increased overall to 1,047 cases in 2022 from 944 in 2021, and the detection rate of these crimes reduced from 97 per cent to 95 per cent. However, detection rate of rape, harassment and murder cases related to women is 100 per cent.

Cyber cell on cards

In 2021, 172 cybercrime cases were registered and 41 detected. Last year, 207 such cases were registered of which 51 were detected. Bharambe has announced that a cyber cell will be set up in each police station in Navi Mumbai to keep a check on cybercrime.

6,443
No of offences registered