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In a major breakthrough, Latur police have dismantled a gang accused of stealing mobile phones from unsuspecting locals, recovering 17 devices valued at around Rs 4.57 lakh.
The probe began after a complaint from a 40-year-old resident whose phone, worth Rs 1.12 lakh, was snatched during a morning walk on January 18. Using CCTV footage and technical analysis, police arrested Vikas Balu Rathod and Prajapati Murlidhar Sonwane, along with a juvenile accomplice.
Sources revealed that Sonwane, who runs a mobile phone shop at Samvidhan Chowk, allegedly unblocked and sanitized stolen devices for resale. Authorities continue the recovery process to ensure that all seized phones are returned to their rightful owners.
