It’s high tech crime on trains in Secunderabad division

SECUNDERABAD: While losing jewellery, money and valuables while travelling by trains has been a nightmare for passengers for several years now, the method in which the thefts are carried out has changed remarkably, officials said.
Investigating officers claimed that most thefts have become more sophisticated and technology driven. Organised gangs as well as individual involved in these crimes use photographs and mobile applications such as Whatsapp and Messenger to pass on the details of vulnerable passengers or items to be stolen.Most escape routes are planned using map-based apps found on the phones. Officials said that an increasing number of criminals are using technology to execute a foolproof plan.

Petty thieves as well as organised gangs have managed to hoodwink vulnerable travellers despite a network of over 6,000 CCTV surveillance cameras covering railway stations across the South Central Railway (SCR) zone. This year, 462 thefts have been reported in stations and trains operating in the Secunderabad division alone.
Among various objects that attract the unwarranted attention of criminals, high-end mobile phones top the charts with 194 of the 462 thefts recorded being of mobile phones. The biggest target, however, is gold ornaments, mostly stolen in the dead of the night from handbags or suitcases.
“In such cases, the thief usually makes a reservation in the 2nd or 3rd AC coaches, pretending to be a genuine passenger. During the first few hours, he identifies the gullible passenger such as women wearing heavy jewellery or someone with a flashy phone. Late in the night, they go through the contents of the passengers’ handbags and suitcases. Once they lift the jewellery pouch or the mobile phone, the stolen goods are immediately handed over to their associate who is travelling in the sleeper coach. They make phone calls, meet at a particular location in the train and hand over the stolen goods. That way, even if on suspicion the thief is caught, nothing will be found in his possession. Once they disembark the train, the escape route is meticulously selected with the help of map-based applications available on mobile phones,” said Ramakrishna, senior divisional security commissioner, Secunderabad division.
Officials, also said that there had been cases where thieves had left with an entire suitcase instead of rummaging through the contents in the train. A recent case where the criminal walked away with an entire bag was cracked at the Secunderabad station using CCTV footage. “The CCTV footage is especially helpful in reconstructing and tracing back theft cases, and has resulted in many cases being cracked,” added the official.