# Mumbai pickpocket gang used daily WhatsApp code to avoid police

2026-08-11T01:59:35+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 1 independent outlet

Mumbai police arrested the ‘Dhakka gang’ of pickpockets who used daily-changing WhatsApp codes to coordinate thefts on BEST buses. The Times of India reports that gang members would send each other seemingly innocent phrases such as 'uncle sends his regards' or 'how is the weather today?' to check if it was safe to proceed and if any member had been caught by police. The MIDC police team recovered 135 high-end smartphones valued between Rs 90,000 and Rs 1.5 lakh each. The gang avoided stealing iPhones because they are harder to unlock and have low resale value in their intended markets in Bangladesh and Nepal.

## Coverage

- timesofindia.indiatimes.com <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/gangs-of-whatsappur-mumbais-thieves-reinvent-codes-for-digital-age/articleshow/133128967.cms>
- hindustantimes.com <https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/mumbai-thieves-otp-for-stealing-changing-whatsapp-codes-for-phone-heists-101786461431702.html>

Tags: BEST bus thefts, Cyber crime, Dhakka gang, Mumbai Police, pickpocket gang, WhatsApp code
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