Mumbai Police return stolen and misplaced items worth Rs 1.64 cr before Diwali

The Mumbai Police have returned stolen and misplaced items worth Rs 164 crore to their rightful owners at a function held ahead of Diwali an official said on WednesdayThe recovered property included 11 gold ornaments two cars 15 motorcycles and 332 mobile phones The items were traced during investigations into theft robbery and other propertyrelated cases the official saidPolice return valuables recovered in theft casesThe property was returned to its owners during a function organised on Tuesday November 3 The recovery covered several cases registered across police stations under the Eastern Regional DivisionThe recovered items included valuables reported stolen or missing by residents Police investigations helped trace the property and establish its ownership before it was handed backThe total value of the recovered items stood at Rs 164 crore providing relief to residents who had lost their belongingsCyber fraud warnings issued ahead of DiwaliAdditional Commissioner of Police Eastern Regional Division Dhananjay Kulkarni attended the function and cautioned residents against the growing threat of cyber fraudHe advised people to remain vigilant while using digital platforms and warned against trusting unknown links messages or phone callsThe advisory comes amid concerns over online scams in which fraudsters often impersonate officials financial institutions or service providers to obtain personal information and deceive victimsKulkarni urged residents to exercise caution while responding to unsolicited communications and avoid clicking on suspicious linksParents urged to monitor childrens mobile usageThe senior police officer also appealed to young people to stay away from drug abuse and highlighted the need for greater awareness about its consequencesHe urged parents to monitor their childrens mobile phone usage to prevent excessive screen time and screen addictionThe appeal was part of the broader public safety message delivered during the propertyreturn functionRecovered property handed back before DiwaliThe return of valuables ahead of the festival was part of the polices efforts to trace stolen and misplaced property and restore it to its ownersThe recovered items included mobile phones vehicles and gold ornaments which can represent significant financial losses for individuals and familiesThe police said the property had been recovered during investigations into various casesPolice stress public awareness and vigilanceKulkarnis remarks also focused on the importance of public awareness in preventing crimeThe police have advised residents to remain cautious about suspicious communications and to take steps to protect themselves from cyber fraudThe officers appeal to young people to avoid drugs and to parents to monitor mobile phone usage highlighted concerns beyond propertyrelated offencesWith inputs from PTI