Man steals cell phones posing as deaf and mute, arrested

A middle-aged man was arrested from Salt Lake on Thursday on charges of stealing a mobile phone. The accused used to steal mobile phones in a unique modus operandi posing as a deaf and mute.

Police confirmed that two expensive mobile phones were stolen from the office of a private company at AA block in Salt Lake a few days ago.

After investigation, it was revealed that the accused, on entering the office building, had gone straightaway to the receptionist sitting in the front office. He put forward a piece of paper with something written on it and sought her help to read it out. He bent over the computer set, in front of the receptionist, to show her the piece of paper. As soon as she had turned back to talk to one of her colleagues, the accused picked up her mobile phones under the piece of paper and left the office.

The receptionist initially didn't understand how her cell phones got stolen. However, the officials of the IT unit of the private company later found out, after going through CCTV footages, that the mobile phones went missing from the table of the receptionist soon after the accused person left the office.

After closely checking the CCTV footages, it was revealed that the man had only stolen the cell phones. They lodged a complaint with the police.

The police had initiated a probe. But before the police could have arrested the accused, he was caught by some local people when he went to steal another cell phone using the same tactic from another shop in the same locality.

The accused was handed over to the police. A police officer said they suspect that the accused is a member of a mobile theft racket and his arrest will help them to know about other members of that gang from the accused.